The Middle
by PKNight
Summary: Sequel to The Beginning. Chapter 10: Rory has a confession to make, and Jess has something to get off his chest. PG-13 to be safe.
1. Good Dreams and Fate Bites

A/N: Okay. I'm going on vacation for a bit, so I won't be updating. I've got an idea for a fanfic that very well might get me stoned to death, but I swear, I'll make it good! Um, this is the sequel to "The Beginning" and I hope you see where I'm going with the titles…Eventually, I'll consolidate all this series into one document with "The Beginning" "The Middle" and "The End" as the chapters. Um, PG for the same *little* language. I don't own these characters, that is the sole right of someone much luckier than I. Anyway, enjoy!

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Good Dreams and Fate Bites

It was an unfamiliar sensation for Rory…not being obligated to be anywhere for someone else. It had been a while since she didn't feel guilty about wanting to stay home and do laundry, have a movie marathon with her mother, or hang out with Lane. Or Jess. Dean had hated Jess from the moment he came to town, and made it plain he hated that Rory liked Jess.

Rory enjoyed her month of time for her. But by the end of the month, she was ready to do stuff outside the house again, minus the Friday dinners of course.

Rory left her room that Monday morning before school, smiling.

"Look at you," her mother remarked between sips of coffee. "Aren't we cheery this morning? And even without coffee. What's happening today?"

"Nothing special," Rory said.

"Then why the toothpaste-ad smile?"

"Weird dreams. Good, but weird dreams."

"Tell."

"Well, okay. Everyone from Stars Hollow was on this huge airplane. And suddenly, everyone realized that there was no pilot flying the plane. So, everyone started volunteering me to go and fly it." Rory shook her head. "I didn't want to, and I kept asking everyone to help me. You were too busy arguing with Luke over which was worse—coffee or tea, oddly enough, you were defending tea—and Lane was with the cheerleaders practicing. I still kept asking everyone, when Dean showed up in a stewardess outfit."

Her mother nearly snorted her coffee. She coughed for a minute, laughing at the same time, but finally got herself under control. "Sorry. I just got a bad mental picture. Continue."

Rory was fighting the urge to laugh herself. "Well, he began passing out three-foot-long licorice whips in black, red, and polka-dots. I didn't want one, so I headed to the front of the plane, resigned to flying it by myself. I got up to the cockpit, and Jess is sitting there in one of the seats. He turns when I come in and says, 'Hey, co-pilot. Wanna help me fly?' I smiled at him, and we flew the plane back to Stars Hollow. It was just weird."

Rory took her first swallow of coffee and grinned. "Yea, this day is going to be good, I can tell."

"Never jinx anything like that," Lorelai told Rory scoldingly. "What have I told you about tempting fate to bite you on your ass?"

"Um, don't do it?"

"Precisely," Lorelai said. "Come on, it's time for breakfast. And Heaven in a mug." She nearly danced out their house. Rory sighed and shouldered her bag for school, following her dippy mother.

At the diner, Jess was just waking up. As soon as he glanced at the calendar, he broke into a grin. His personal deadline was up. He could begin pursuit of Rory. He'd start with coffee at the bus stop that afternoon. Sure, Dean had done it, but it had worked for him, and he wouldn't screw up whatever he had with Rory by liking someone else.

He got up, got dressed, and did his hair. When he got downstairs, he saw Lorelai and Rory sitting at the counter, Lorelai and Luke engaged in their usual morning argument about how coffee would kill the Gilmores someday, and how everyone was going to die someday, and at least with coffee they would die happily.

"Not much chance of dying peacefully in your sleep with blood in your coffee stream," Luke said dryly. 

"What's the fun of dying in your sleep? You'd never know you were dying."

"You want to know when you're going to die?" Luke asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah, don't you? I mean, if you don't, you just stop existing. You might become a ghost. You'd never know you died until you look at the paper one morning and see yourself listed under the obituaries."

"It scares me to think about what goes on in your mother's mind," Jess said to Rory as he reached behind Luke to get the coffee pot. He poured some into Rory's to-go cup, and waited for Lorelai to ask him.

"You're a traitor to health," Luke said, pointing at Jess. "You're letting their bodies deteriorate slowly. You should be more concerned for their health."

"Luke," Lorelai said jokingly. "I didn't know you cared." Luke blushed a bright red very quickly, and Rory and Jess exchanged frustrated looks.

"Fine," Luke said shortly. "Destroy your nervous system. See if I care."

With that he went into the kitchen to make them their breakfast. "What's wrong with him?" Lorelai demanded.

"You're both blind," Jess commented. Then he glanced at his watch. "I gotta get to school."

"So early?" Rory asked.

"Yeah, well, I got detention a while ago and I'm serving it in the morning."

"For what?"

Jess mumbled something. "What was that?" Lorelai asked, grinning.

"I got detention for reading during PE," Jess said.

"Really?"

"Well, I also had a few choice words to the teacher when he tried to take the book away from me to force me to participate." Rory fought a smile.

"Then, by all means, we wouldn't want you to miss detention. See you later."

Jess exited the diner mumbling about stupid gym teachers. Rory and Lorelai wisely stifled their laughter until the door had closed behind him.

"What are you two laughing about?" Luke demanded.

"Your nephew," Lorelai said. "Ooh, breakfast. Better eat fast, kiddo," she added to Rory. "Your bus should be here soon."

Rory bolted her food, kissed her mother on the cheek, said bye to Luke, and still almost missed the bus. Looked like Fate had decided to come and bite her ass that day after all.

She tottered off the bus that afternoon, afraid that she would tip over from her overfull backpack. Chilton teachers piled on homework at every opportunity, but today had been especially bad, especially with the end of the semester nearing.

Rory stood at the bus stop for a long moment, torn between going home and dumping her backpack somewhere, and going to Luke's for coffee. In the end, caffeine won out over future back problems, and she turned towards the diner.

And almost plowed into Jess, carry two cups of coffee.

Rory quickly backed up a few steps, overbalanced, and fell. She sat on the ground awkwardly for a moment before glaring up at Jess. "I hear one sound that sounds like humor, and you won't live to regret it." Jess didn't even so much as smirk as he set the coffee down and pulled her to her feet. 

Gratefully, she walked to a bench and dropped her backpack onto it. She would have sworn she heard wood crack.

"Here," Jess said. He shoved the coffee into her hands, and lifted the backpack from the bench. "Oh, my god," he gasped. "What do you have in here?"

"It would scare you to find out," she said darkly after draining half the first cup. "And you don't know how good this coffee tastes after a day at Hell."

"Come on," Jess said. He began to lift the backpack onto his own shoulders, inwardly whimpering.

Rory caught herself staring at his arms as he lifted the pack. It was so heavy, and he lifted it like it was nothing. Then she flushed, feeling uncomfortably like Miss Patty, indiscriminately ogling men.

"You do know that chivalry is dead, right?" Rory asked, getting off the bench and walking beside Jess towards her house. "I mean, not that I don't appreciate it. My back is going to kill me when I'm older."

"Chivalry is dead. I'm just being nice."

"Thank you," Rory said. "For the coffee, and the carrying. It's really sweet of you."

Jess stopped in his tracks and demanded, "Did you just call me sweet?" He was secretly very pleased, but acted offended. "Oh, god, don't ever tell anyone you said that. My reputation as a hoodlum will be utterly ruined."

"You've never been a hoodlum," Rory scoffed.

They began walking again. "How do you know?"

"Because you're like Tom Sawyer."

Jess looked at her now, eyebrow raised, looking amazingly similar to Luke. "How on earth do you figure that? Since when did I con anyone into painting a fence?"

"Not like that," she said. "I mean, Tom Sawyer was always playing pranks, but he never meant any harm, and was a good person all things considered. You're the same way."

"Thank you. First I'm Doger, now I'm Tom Sawyer. Who else are you going to compare me to?"

"I'm sure more will come to me, sometime," Rory said.

They climbed the steps to her house, and Jess gratefully dropped her bag just inside the door.

"Wanna come in?" Rory asked, leaning against the door.

"Can't," he said with real regret. "I was just taking a break. I've gotta get back to the diner."

"Oh," Rory said, inexplicably disappointed. "Okay. See you later?"

"Probably for dinner," he said.

"Yeah, probably," Rory replied, smiling. "See you later."

"You said that already."

"Bye."

"Later."


	2. Movies and Snowfall

Movies and Snowfall:  
  
"Okay," Rory said. "I have here a couple of holiday classics." She held up two video cases. "'While You Were Sleeping,' which runs from Christmas to mid-January, I think, and 'Scrooged.'"  
  
Jess winced. "Do we have to watch 'Scrooged'? That fairy chick really freaks me out." He watched Rory pop one of the tapes into the VCR. She had a habit that was annoying of hiding what videos she was putting in.  
  
"That's only 'cause you're a guy," Rory said, plopping down next to him on his bed. They'd decided to have a movie party to celebrate the beginning of the holiday break for both their schools. Lane had to back out at the last minute, though, because her mother wanted her to attend an extra church choir rehearsal. So Rory and Jess sat back and watched Bill Murray learn the true meaning of Christmas.  
  
Jess yawned. "Well, that was fun. Let's get something to eat before we start the next movie."  
  
Rory nodded, and followed Jess into his and Luke's kitchen. The remodel had gone well. The kitchen/living room was the smallest space, but it was still bigger than the entire old apartment had been. Companionably, they worked in silence. Luke came in just as the two were slapping on the last ingredients to their sandwiches.  
  
"I've got to go take care of some repairs at the Inn," he said. "Sookie just called and said they've had some guests complaining about windows not closing. I should be back in a couple hours. Rory, when you leave, borrow one of Jess' coats. It's getting really cold outside."  
  
"Thanks Luke," Rory managed to get out before he was gone. She and Jess discussed the various forms of "A Christmas Carol" they'd both seen, and couldn't agree on which was the best. Jess happened to think the Muppet's version was the funniest, as he had a thing for comedy. Rory liked the classic versions. They enjoyed a debate about that for a time, and then decided they needed to go and watch the other movie before it got to be too late.  
  
"What's this one about, anyhow?" Jess asked.  
  
"Mistaken identity and romance," Rory said cryptically. "I may cry," she added warningly.  
  
About fifteen minutes into the movie, Jess moved closer to Rory. Rory also moved closer to Jess, almost unconsciously. "Is it getting colder?" Rory murmured at one point. Jess reached to touch her hand.  
  
"You do feel a bit chilly," he said, beginning to buff her hands.  
  
Rory blushed slightly. She hadn't needed the deliberate warming of Jess' hands; she'd felt plenty warm at just his touch. But she let him continue no longer watching the movie. "Here," he said. He grabbed a blanket off the end of his bed and wrapped it around the two of them.  
  
"Cozy," Rory said, and deliberately put her mind back on the movie.  
  
Jess tried to concentrate on the movie, really, he did. But this was the first time he'd been this physically close to Rory, and it was driving him mad. She smelled terrific. Her hair had an exotic fruit scent, and he resisted the urge to bury his nose and sniff deeply. *You sound like a complete idiot,* he told himself. *Just watch the damn movie and stop thinking about how good she smells.*  
  
By the time the happy ending rolled around, Rory was sniffling a little. "Sorry," she said, wiping her nose. "I just never get tired of happy endings."  
  
"They're good, sometimes," Jess said. Then he looked down at his watch. "I guess I'd better get you home," he said. He didn't want her to go, ever. But she had to.  
  
They both got heavy coats—Jess took an extra of Luke's and gave his good one to Rory—and headed out through the diner.  
  
But froze at the bottom of the stairs, staring in complete dumbfounded astonishment at the mass of white a foot above the windows. "Whoa," was the only thing Rory could think to say. She went over to the door, and opened it. The cold snapped at her viciously, and she just as quickly slammed the door. "Well," she said. "I guess I'll be staying here."  
  
"Looks like there's no alternative," Jess said. He didn't know whether to be thrilled or wary. "Why don't you call your mom, see if it's okay?"  
  
"Sure," she said. She went over to the phone, and dialed her home.  
  
"Lorelai Gilmore, all alone, abandoned by her daughter speaking."  
  
"I didn't abandon you," Rory said. "Have you looked outside?"  
  
"Um, no. Hold on. You're not standing there with a gutted quarterback tied to a chair, are you?"  
  
"Are you trying to give me nightmares?"  
  
"Yea! Snow!"  
  
"Yes, mom, snow. But do you see how much?"  
  
There was a pause, and Rory was sure her mother was eyeing the snow, figuring depth. "Well, I can't give you exact cubic measurements, but I think it's safe to say there's a lot. I take it you're trying to tell me you can't get home?"  
  
"Right in one. I'll stay here tonight."  
  
"Fine with me," Lorelai said.  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Okay. Thanks. I'll see you sometime—"  
  
Just then the phone and electricity went out simultaneously. "Well, at least I got to tell her where I was this time," Rory muttered. She stripped off the coat while she heard Jess fumbling around for a flashlight. A beam of light cut through the complete darkness.  
  
"Wow." He sounded awed. "I don't think I've ever seen it this dark."  
  
"Of course you haven't, City Boy," Rory said. "There's always a light somewhere in New York, there's no escaping them. But this is Stars Hollow."  
  
"Really? I thought this was Chicago." Jess rolled his eyes, but Rory ignored it.  
  
"Come on," he said. They went back upstairs, where the cold was already playing at the windows. Jess stuffed towels around the frames of his door and windows. "You're sleeping with me tonight," he said. Then he wanted to cut off his tongue. "You know what I mean," he muttered darkly. He wanted to slap himself silly, but would look like a moron if he did it in front of Rory. In the dark, he didn't notice her fierce blush.  
  
What surprised Rory was that she wanted…something. Something else, that she'd never experienced before. She shook her head hard. "I know. It's a matter of survival. No biggie." She helped Jess lay out a couple more blankets over his bed.  
  
"What time is it?" she asked after a while.  
  
"Uh, it's near…twelve, actually. How long were those movies?"  
  
"Got me," she said.  
  
"I am tired," Jess said, barely stifling a yawn. He wasn't nearly the night- owl he'd been in New York. Getting up early to work in the diner had adjusted his internal clock so he couldn't usually function past eleven.  
  
"Me, too," Rory said.  
  
Neither of them moved.  
  
After a few more minutes, Rory made a frustrated sound. "Okay, we're both being stupid. Let's just both hop on in." She pulled the covers off enough for her to slip into one side of the bed—a queen mattress—while Jess got in on the other side.  
  
They both lay awake for a long while, listening to each other breathe, thinking separate but equal thoughts. Eventually, exhaustion overcame them, and both slept.  
  
The next morning, Lorelai woke up, and determinably pulled on her best, warmest snow outfit, and trudged to the diner. She spent a few minutes in the diner itself, stomping off the snow and absorbing some vague warmth. It was still far below zero outside, but it had stopped snowing hours ago, and she was sure the plows would be coming through any minute.  
  
She went upstairs, and stood for a moment, admiring the apartment. She hadn't been back there since the remodel was finished—neither Jess nor Luke were really the house-warming-party type—but she thought Tom had done a good job with it. She went to the first door she saw and opened it. The bathroom. She looked at the one across the hall, and knocked lightly. She got no response, so she opened it and went in.  
  
A mess, even by her standards, was her first impression. But there was a clear path to all crucial areas to the room: closet, dresser, TV, bed…Lorelai stared at the bed for a long moment, then moved over to it.  
  
She pulled the covers down, and just stared at her daughter and Jess curled together. Her mother's instinct kicked in and she almost pulled her daughter straight out of bed and onto the floor. Then she noticed that they were both fully clothed, and her panic ebbed. A little.  
  
"Ahem," she tried. No response. "A-HEM," she said again. Jess stirred a little, and then buried his face deeper into Rory's hair. "Rory." Lorelai's voice evoked a response from her daughter.  
  
Rory opened her eyes, and smiled slightly when she saw her mother. "Oh," she said, immediately yawning. "Hi, mom," she finished sleepily. "When did you get home?"  
  
"You're not home," Lorelai said, straining to keep from snapping. "You're sleeping with Jess. In Jess' bed," she amended.  
  
Rory moved then, quickly, sliding towards the edge of the bed.  
  
Jess made a protesting sound and moved to pull her back, but she resisted. Finally, he woke up. He and Rory stared at each other for a moment before Lorelai cut in. "I'll see you at home."  
  
"Mom?" Rory asked. She heard another door open, then slam shut. Then Lorelai ran past Jess' door, looking like one of the Furies.  
  
"Um, correct me if I'm wrong," Jess said, rubbing his hand over his face. "But she gave you permission to stay over, right?"  
  
"You're not wrong." Rory got up, and put on a coat. "But something is still wrong. I need to go."  
  
"Where?" Jess asked.  
  
Rory heard the snowplow drone by. "I think I'll go by Lane's. I…can't go home right away."  
  
"I'm sorry, Rory," Jess said.  
  
"It's not your fault," she said. "I'll call you, okay? Really. As soon as I get things sorted out with Mom, I'll call you and we'll go to the bookstore. I swear."  
  
Jess nodded. "Bye, Rory," he said, and watched her walk out the door. Without coffee. Something wasn't right here, and he was clueless as to what that was, exactly.  
  
Resigned, Jess got up and changed. Then he went downstairs to shovel off the sidewalk and open the diner. 


	3. Aftermath of Movies and Snowfall

A/N: Okay. I put the summary in wrong, it was intended to go up as PG-13 for *this* chapter. Okay, this is almost pure L/L, and I even put in some of my thoughts on the whole Christopher thing…who I dislike about as much as I dislike Dean. I think they belong with other people. Jess and Rory complement each other much better than Rory and Dean do. Wow. Long note…Anyway, thank you so so so so so so so much to everyone who reviewed, even those who didn't like it. I appreciate any and all feedback. And when I post this thing all in one, it will be re-written and better- written…perfectionist here…  
  
Standard disclaimers, blah, blah, blah…  
  
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Aftermath of Snowfall and Movies  
  
Lane was a good friend and didn't point out the parallels in this situation versus the one with Dean. Instead she said nothing before her friend wound down.  
  
"You need to go have a talk with your mom," Lane said. "You're lucky; your mom listens when you explain something."  
  
"I do know," Rory said. "Really, but if I try to talk to her before she winds down, she does more resemble the strict mother she grew up with than my own.  
  
"In that case, I've got some new CDs. Wanna listen for a couple hours? Give your mom some time."  
  
"Sounds good to me."  
  
**********  
  
Luke barged into the half-full diner, shaking the snow onto Kirk. "Hey!" the skinny man protested.  
  
"Sorry," Luke snapped. He was relieved to see that Jess had taken the initiative and opened the diner. "Thanks," he said shortly to his nephew, joining him behind the counter.  
  
After a few minutes of working wordlessly in tandem Luke asked, "Rory get home okay?"  
  
He'd asked quietly, and no one heard him or Jess' reply. "No," he said, almost under his breath. "She was snowed in. She got through to Lorelai before the power quit, and she said it was okay if she stayed over."  
  
"I sense a 'but,'" Luke said.  
  
Jess smiled sourly. "Isn't there always with those two? Lorelai showed up this morning, flipped out, slammed your door and left."  
  
"This is my fault," Luke said. "I told her I'd be home all night." Sighing, he got the coffee pot and filled a large take-out mug. "I've got to fix this."  
  
Jess didn't speak until after the door closed behind his uncle. "Yeah," he said. "Go play peace-keeper with Lorelai. I'll watch the diner. No, really, I insist."  
  
**********  
  
Lorelai paced through the house over and over again, muttering to herself about trusting people. When she heard footsteps on the porch, she threw open the front door. "And you," she began and stopped when she saw Luke. "Well," she sputtered as he shoved a large cup of coffee into her hands. She took a grateful gulp. "Don't think that coffee is going to get you off my list."  
  
"But it helps, right?" Luke asked, shedding his snow clothes for the second time in an hour.  
  
"Not right now," she retorted. She put the coffee down and advanced on Luke. She shoved him towards the living room. "You said you'd be home all night!" she shouted.  
  
"I know I did. But—"  
  
"Why else do you think I let them have a movie marathon, knowing full well the only TV with a VCR in your place is in Jess' room?!"  
  
"I thought you liked Jess now?" Luke demanded.  
  
"I do, mostly. But that doesn't mean I trust him with my daughter in his bedroom late at night! In fact, do you know how I found them?"  
  
Luke froze. "Please tell me they didn't—"  
  
"No. No! But they were in Jess' bed. They were…snuggled, I guess is the best term."  
  
"But all clothing was…still there?"  
  
Lorelai snapped, "Yes."  
  
"I left because of repairs at the Inn. Sookie called me, frantic because some of the windows won't close. I get over there, fix things, and by the time I do, the snow is so thick on the ground I can't get out."  
  
Lorelai deflated. "I knew you had to have a good reason. Thank you for coming to Sookie's rescue. Really." She paused. "You know, they even looked kind of sweet together. Jess was holding her tight, probably keeping her warm through the night because the heat was off. God. I'm going to have a hard time not trusting him from now on. I mean, if he didn't take advantage of the situation—don't look at me like that, you know what I mean—then…"  
  
"You know he won't do anything to hurt Rory," Luke supplied. "Are you flashing back to the whole Dean thing?"  
  
Lorelai froze, and Luke sympathetically pulled her to the couch. "It's all right. Really. Jess isn't Dean, and the situation isn't the same. You knew where she was this time."  
  
Lorelai began crying, tears slowly sliding down her cheeks. "You wanna know the worst part of this whole thing?" He nodded understandingly and moved to kiss her forehead. "I saw how much Jess cares for her. And I was jealous. I was jealous that she found someone. I mean, Jess really cares for her. Everyone can see it but her. She's so young, and she's already found someone who adores her." She laughed shakily. "I don't think I'll ever find a man like that for me. So I was insanely jealous of my own daughter, and half-wanted to sabotage what they have, because I'll never have it for myself."  
  
She pulled back from him, dreading but needing to see his reaction. She was surprised when Luke put his hand behind her nape and pulled her up to meet his mouth. Before she could think she was reacting, kissing him back, beginning to pull at his clothing until all reason and thought flew out of her head.  
  
Possessiveness swamped him along with simple animal lust, pent up for so long. He almost growled when her shirt refused to come off and pulled until he heard seams rip. Galvanized by the sound, Lorelai followed suit, pulling his T-shirt over his head and then sinking her teeth into his shoulders. Both their minds imploded from that point on.  
  
**********  
  
Sadly, rational thought returned before their breathing slowed. Luke half lay on Lorelai, breathing in the scent of her heated skin. He absently let his hand caress her arm that was thrown around his neck. Two needs battled for control: the need to make love to her again, and the need to talk to her. He could hardly credit his memory of the last several minutes: he'd made love to Lorelai Gilmore, on her couch. In the middle of the day, after she'd had a crying fit. It wasn't how he pictured telling her his feelings, but it would have to do.  
  
He moved slightly, shifted so they lay side by side. "Lorelai," he began.  
  
"That's me," she said brightly. Too brightly.  
  
"We need to—"  
  
"Talk, I know," she interrupted again. She sat up and bent to gather her scattered clothes. "But I have a meeting scheduled in…an hour and a half, and I need to get ready."  
  
She all but threw his clothes at him with one hand, using her other to hold her own clothes as a shield.  
  
"Lorelai," Luke protested weakly, and just watched as she ran upstairs, calling behind her, "I'll see you at the diner for dinner, Luke. You can let yourself out, right?"  
  
Without saying what he wanted to, Luke dressed and left the house. But he promised himself he would tell her everything within the next twenty-four hours.  
  
**********  
  
Rory came home an hour later, ready to talk to her mother. "Mom?" she called tentatively. She heard no response so she went upstairs to check her mom's room.  
  
She found Lorelai in the bedroom, sitting, staring at her hands. She looked shell shocked. "Mom?" Rory asked, concerned. "What's wrong? Did something happen to Grandma or Grandpa? Dad? Sookie?"  
  
"I was mad," Lorelai said, ignoring her daughter's questions. "But I wasn't mad at you. I was mad at Luke. He'd said he was going to be there, he wasn't there, and you and Jess were in the same bed and all…. Really, it wasn't that I was mad at you or Jess—"  
  
"You were mad at Luke," Rory supplied. She considered. "I don't think I've ever seen you mad at Luke."  
  
"You didn't see the day after the fashion show, or the night he and Jess came for dinner. I got mad at him then."  
  
"Oh," Rory said. "Well, he was needed for a repair emergency at the Inn. I guess he got stuck there." She sat next to her mother and said clearly, "Mom. What happened?"  
  
Lorelai flopped into her daughter's lap and covered her face with her hands. "Luke came over a while ago. I yelled at him. He apologized. Then he kissed me." Lorelai didn't notice Rory's triumphant smile when she moved her hands. "And I kissed him, and we had sex and now I'll lose one of my best friends because I can't keep my hormones under control!"  
  
She was silent for a few minutes, and Rory realized she was crying silently. Rory just held her for a few minutes. "Mom," she said gently, handing Lorelai a tissue. "Did it ever occur to you that Luke loves you?"  
  
Lorelai shook her head. "Why does everyone keep saying that? Why would Luke love me? I'm freaky and neurotic, and addicted to coffee."  
  
"Then why did he kiss you? Why did he…um…"  
  
"He kissed me to comfort me," she said, mostly to herself. "Just to comfort me. And he's only human. I mean, I was throwing myself at him like I always do with men."  
  
"Okay," Rory said. "Let's try this. Do you like Luke?"  
  
"He's one of the most important people in my life. I better like him."  
  
"You know what I'm talking about," Rory chided.  
  
"I do. And a while ago I asked you what you thought of my dating Luke, and you told me not to because he's our coffee supplier and if we broke up we'd have to get coffee someplace else."  
  
Rory flinched. *It's my fault?* she thought frantically. *I can't remember that, but if I hadn't said it, all this drama with Rachel and Max and even Dad could have been avoided.* She wanted to beat herself on the forehead, but decided to deal with one problem at a time. "I was just joking," Rory said. "Ignore the fact that I said that. How do you feel about Luke?"  
  
"I like Luke. I feel jealous when other women look at him. I can't even go a few days without talking to him without feeling like crap. Oh, god," Lorelai moaned. "What do I do now?"  
  
"Talk to him."  
  
"No, no. What I need to do is make up a complicated plot to make him realize he can't live without me."  
  
"Mom—"  
  
"All right. I'll talk to him." 


	4. Stalling and Conversations

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A/N: Okay, here it is. The Luke/Lorelai confrontation. It may not go exactly as you want, but bear with me, I'm trying to be realistic (or my version of "real" anyway…). Written with my personal views of Lorelai's relationships in mind, others may not feel this way. If you don't like my take, flames can and will be used against you. Any constructive/nice feedback is welcome. I'm thinking of some solo pieces, also, and might be posting those sometime (hehehe, plugging my own work within my own work! Fiendish…okay, not really, but…) Standard disclaimers apply, no infringement meant.

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****

Stalling and Conversations

"Mom, you're starving, and I accidentally ate the last Pop Tart before you woke up. I was hungry," she said defensively when her mother looked at her skeptically. "Really. Just go have breakfast. I'll be fine here."

"Don't you want to come with me? I mean, come on, it's the holiday break. You have a kid's obligation to goof off for the first week and a half, and then frantically try to get all your work done in the last few days."

"You just want me to act as a buffer between you and Luke," Rory informed her mother. "And I'm not going to do it. I am not a human shield."

"But you've got the whole plaid-kilted warrior thing down perfectly," Lorelai protested. 

"When have you ever known me not to do my homework?"

"Never," Lorelai said, frustrated with logic. "But can't you make an exception? Just this once, please?"

"I can't believe you're begging me not to do homework. Besides, Paris is throwing a conniption fit about the issue immediately after we get back, and I've got to come up with an article that has nothing to do with any of the holidays but still has meaning to the month. Paris says that by the time we get back to school, everyone hates the holidays and doesn't want to hear any more about them. So, besides homework, I've got to get Paris to breathe a little, and the only way to do that is to get a good article for her."

"Ooh, ooh! Do it about snow! You can tell about the marvels of snow, how it contributes to the magic of the season…wait, no, that's got to do with holidays." Lorelai thought for a minute. "I got nothing."

"Hard, isn't it? Now, go. You promised you'd talk to Luke, and you're going to."

"Gosh, you're so helpful to me." Lorelai continued to mutter darkly under her breath as she drove to Luke's.

She sat at a table as far from the counter as she could get and hoping Jess would be serving her—something she never thought she'd do.

Luck, however, wasn't with her today. "Hey," Luke said hesitantly, immediately pouring her some coffee without the usual arguments. *I knew it,* Lorelai thought. *It's all weird now, and I've completely ruined everything.*

"Hi," Lorelai said, trying to be casual.

"Where's Rory?"

"Oh, you know Rory. She's out driving through the snow, doing donuts in the square, throwing snowballs filled with rocks at innocent bystanders, and just generally causing mayhem in the town of Stars Hollow."

"Homework, huh?"

"Couldn't talk her out of it."

"Not surprising." Luke paused for a minute. "Um, could I talk to you, for a minute?"

Lorelai froze, then jerked her head up until she looked into his face, then jerked it down again. "Uh, sure. But I'm kinda busy…" *'You promised you'd talk to him.'* Rory's voice echoed in her head, and she sighed. "Yeah. Why not?" *Might as well get this over with.*

"Great," Luke said, not sounding convinced. "Want to go for a walk, or something?"

"Have you looked outside?" Lorelai demanded, trying to lighten herself up.

"Oh, yeah. Not really walk type of weather, is it?" Luke shifted his weight, then said, "Then, can I talk to you upstairs?"

"Uh, yeah. Sure. Let's go." Lorelai stood, thankful that there weren't many customers in the diner, and that they all seemed to be tourists.

She followed Luke up the stairs, and stood silently as he basically kicked Jess out of the apartment and downstairs to watch the diner. Jess just looked at them oddly as he exited, but didn't say anything.

"You want to sit down?" Luke asked, gesturing at the couch, worn and upholstered in a dull brown faux-suede fabric.

"Yeah," Lorelai said, and quickly dropped onto one extreme end of the couch. She folded her hands neatly around her knee, and then unfolded them to check her nails casually. Then she stretched her arms over the back of the couch, and then put them back at her side. "So," she said as she watched Luke sit down. "What did you want to talk about?" *As if you don't know.*

"Um, what happened yesterday." Luke looked odd, maybe hurt. "I just wanted to know what that was, exactly. I mean, I know it might not mean much, but I just wanted to make sure you were okay with it. I'm okay with it, really. I was just wondering…."

Lorelai closed her eyes. *It meant nothing to him. I'm right, Rory's wrong. I'm freaky and neurotic and addicted to coffee, and there's no way a sensible guy like Luke is interested in me. So why does being right suck?* "Right. So, we're both okay with it. Is that all?" Lorelai asked, forcing herself to sound bored. "Really, it's all right with me if you want to go another round. Just give me a call first so I can get Rory out of the house." She was getting mad now. *Does he think I just go around indiscriminately sleeping with guys? Much less guys that are my best friends?*

"Lorelai," Luke said. "I don't think that's a good idea. I guess it means less to you than…anyway, I thought you might be upset about it."

"It means less to me than what?" Lorelai jumped off the couch, suddenly needing to move. "Less to me than what?" she repeated, glaring down at Luke. "Less to me than food, coffee? Less to me than a bug being squished by my car? Less to me than my social standing in Hartford society? What?"

Luke scowled fiercely at her, and snapped, "Less to you than it did to me." Then he covered his eyes with his hand and sat back. "Look," he sighed. "I just thought that…I don't know. It would be different. I could talk to you like a rational person."

"Oh, so now I'm irrational, is that it?" Lorelai's internal struggle between anger and confusion was exhausting her. She sat again on the couch, closer to Luke. "Yeah, you're probably right. I'm not the most logical person in the world, am I? That's probably one of the things you hate most about me."

"I don't hate anything about you," Luke said quietly. "That's part of the problem. Well, the coffee thing, I could do without," he admitted. "But you pretty much wouldn't be you if you didn't crave twelve cups of coffee a minute. I shouldn't have said that, about talking to you like a rational person. It was stupid. I just can't find the right words to say what I need to say. I mean, come on, it's me. I don't do talking."

"You're doing okay right now," Lorelai said encouragingly.

"Yeah, go figure. Really, what I wanted to ask you was what it meant to you. What we did. How we did it. Why we did it."

"We had sex Luke," Lorelai said frankly. "Just say it."

"I thought we made love," he said. Lorelai stopped, and looked at him blankly. "I've cared about you for…a long time. I don't know how long, exactly. I think it probably happened sometime around when you started eating all your meals at the diner, and I learned more and more about you and Rory. You became more than just another person in town, and became…you."

Lorelai just continued to sit there, looking at him blankly until he sighed. "Look, forget I said anything, okay? Let's just forget it ever happened."

She shook her head. "Nope. Not gonna do it. Luke," she began, and then stopped. "Okay, bear with me here. I think I'm going to rant." She took a deep breath, and began. "I don't know exactly what I feel for you, because I've never felt anything like it before. I like Ava, but when she was eyeing you like she was Miss Patty and you were a male stripper in a G-string I wanted to rip her eyes out."

"Wait, she wasn't—"

"Not finished ranting here," she said. "And don't even get me started on Rachel. I liked her, and all, which really stuck in my craw, but I still hated her. Anyway, I get jealous when other women look at you. I get jealous when I think you like other women. If I don't talk to you, my day doesn't feel very complete, even more so when you add in that if I don't talk to you I don't get coffee. But what happened yesterday…I'm just repeating old mistakes." She sighed. He sat down and looked at her. "With Christopher and Max and the other guys I've dated, I've let my hormones overrule my brains, and taken things a lot faster than I should. And then I get freaked out when they want more. And I don't want to make that mistake with you."

"Are you done?" Luke asked cautiously.

"I think so. For now."

"Okay. In response to you feeling jealous, you don't even want to know the thoughts that went through my mind when I met Max, or saw Christopher trying to be a father to Rory and…whatever he is to you."

"He's gotten better at the father thing," Lorelai defended him. "But, really, you have no reason to be jealous of him, I swear. We were friends first, and friends last. That's all."

Luke nodded. "I think I know that. But you made a child with him, Lorelai. That means there's a bond between you that can never break. And he is Rory's father."

"Christopher phoned on Rory's birthday. He didn't make a cake and blow up balloons for her. He didn't put her ex-boyfriend in a headlock. He didn't talk me out of taking a puppy that would ultimately be Rory's responsibility. But most of all, he doesn't put up with my neurosis day after day after day. He wasn't the one who out-bid three deranged Miss Patty-sent stalkers to get my basket. Yes, he's getting better at the whole father thing, putting his life together, becoming more responsible. But _you_ are the male influence in Rory's life, and have been for years."

Luke looked touched. "Lorelai…"

"It's the truth. Really. And believe me, I appreciate it. Especially because Rory and I are a package deal, and always will be."

They sat in silence for a few minutes. "I still care about you," Luke said. "And, if you want, we could go out to dinner some time. We won't rush anything, I swear. Just casual dating."

"We go out to dinner all the time," Lorelai said.

"I mean to a restaurant."

"You'd go to a restaurant for me? Even if it was a black-tie, suit-jacket-required place?"

"I would beg you not to pick a place like that, but, yes, if you insisted. I'd wear a black tie. I'd even forego my hat, if it came to that."

"Luke," Lorelai said, taking his hand. "That's so sweet." She leaned over and kissed him lightly on the lips. "How about Saturday at seven? I get to pick the place.

"Does that mean you accept?"

"I accept."

**********

Luke sighed when Lorelai left, and sat on the couch, head tilted back and eyes covered by his hand. *What a putz,* he thought of himself. *Stupid, stupid putz. 'I've cared about you for a long time.' 'I've loved you for a long time,' would have been more accurate. Why couldn't I just come out and say it?*

He thought back to her expression when she'd described what happened between them. "We had sex, Luke," her voice echoed in his head. *That's why you didn't tell her. She saw no difference between making love and sex. She's not ready to see the difference. I should be content. But I don't want to be.* He sighed heavily and looked around his apartment. *Better get back down to the diner.*

Luke dragged himself off the couch and down the stairs. Jess looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "Funny," he said. "You really should look as happy as Lorelai did when she skipped out of here."

"Shut up and serve the coffee," Luke said wearily to his nephew.

"You didn't tell her anything, did you?" Jess pressed, obligingly pouring another mug of coffee for the man holding his mug out.

"I told her I cared about her."

"That's a start. You of course didn't mention any 'L' words?"

"No more than you will to Rory." Jess flinched at that. "The Gilmore women need to take things at their own pace," Luke said. His nephew could only nod understandingly. "Lorelai's not ready to know exactly what I feel for her. I think I'm even going to have to wait until she says it to me." Luke shifted his feet uncomfortably. "Looks like I've got another wait on my hands."

Jess was struck by the odd desire to comfort and commiserate with his uncle. "But at least this time Lorelai is with you in the wait. So what exactly did you agree on?"

"Dinner." Luke saw the smirk on Jess' face. "I mean a real dinner, at a restaurant instead of a diner. Knowing her she'll either pick some fancy place where I'll need a sports coat to even get in the door, or a real dive that no one who values their lives would eat."

Jess was still smirking. "Either way, you'll live through it. So, come on, get to work."


	5. No Second Chances

****

A/N: This chapter is subtitled, "Dean Returns." This should not encourage Dean fans. I do not treat him as a sympathetic character, but I tried not to make him a monster, either. This chapter should probably be two, or maybe even three, but I thought it cruel to stop in the middle. More angst/drama in this chapter, too, and the moment all the J/R shippers out there have been waiting for. Standard disclaimers, read the last several chapters for that blather…

**********

****

No Second Chances

"January came in like a lamb," Rory noted as she and Jess went for movies.

"That's the wrong month," Jess informed her, walking beside her with his hands jammed deep in his pockets.

Since no one in town knew that Rory had spent the night unsupervised with Jess (though how that happened no one knew, but they didn't question it) they figured it was still safe to be seen together in the streets of Stars Hollow.

"Well, then, which month is it?" Rory asked, smiling challengingly at Jess.

"March," he said quickly. Her smile turned to a smirk, and he conceded, "I don't know. But I know it's not January." He pulled the door to the video shop open and they both entered, Jess with his hand at the small of Rory's back. She smiled at the heat of his hand burning through her clothes. She considered the two of them just friends, but that didn't stop her from enjoying the feeling she got when he touched her casually.

After all, there was no way he could be attracted to her. She was a naïve, small-town girl, especially compared to the girls he must have known in New York. She'd enjoy their friendship, and not wish for anything more.

They selected a few movies from the comedy section, both agreeing that after the first two weeks in school after a long vacation they deserved some comic relief.

In the middle of the first movie, Jess shifted on the couch, accidentally pushing Rory to the floor. Jess looked down at her and tried to stifle a snicker. Glaring at him, Rory pulled herself up, grabbed a pillow and smacked Jess on the shoulder.

"Oh," he said slowly. "You did _not_ just do that." The he took a pillow of his own, weighing it consideringly.

"You wouldn't hit me, would you?" Rory asked, batting her lashes coyly at him.

"With anything but a pillow, no," he said seriously. "Never. But with a nice, soft pillow like this," he added more playfully, "yes." And he smacked her arm.

This set off an all-out pillow war, until Rory and Jess both collapsed onto the floor, breathless and laughing.

Jess looked at Rory and lost what little breath he had left. She was flushed and panting for breath. Her hair was mussed around her face. He wanted so badly to kiss her that he began to lean forward.

Rory lay back on the floor, surprising Jess enough to break him out of his daydream. He'd promised himself he'd move as slowly as he could stand. He was nearing the breaking point of his patience with the light touches he'd restricted himself to.

"Whew!" she said. "That was fun. You pillow-fight well." Rory turned to face him. "How long have you been a pillow-warrior?"

"Well, this is my first pillow fight, actually," Jess admitted reluctantly. Rory looked so surprised he almost laughed. Instead he stood, then reached down to help her to her feet.

He felt warm when her hand clasped his, and when he pulled her to her feet, mere inches were between them.

She unconsciously licked her lips and looked at him through wide, innocent eyes. And he couldn't take it any more. He lowered his head slowly, wetting his own lips in anticipation.

Lorelai walked in the door shouting, "Oh daughter mine!" Rory jumped back, but Jess just pivoted where he stood to glower at Lorelai. She merely raised an eyebrow at the tableau in front of her. "Hey hon. Jess."

"Oh, hi, mom," Rory answered. Jess just nodded wordlessly to Lorelai. "Jess was just going."

Jess wanted to protest, but figured a walk might help him clear his head. He shrugged and said, "Yeah. I was. I'll see you later, Rory. Bye, Lorelai."

Jess paused on the porch long enough to hear Lorelai demand, "Okay, what did I just walk into?" before he walked down the road. He decided to go to the bridge. It had become one of his favorite places in Stars Hollow, a comfortable place.

Since he walked with his face to the ground, he didn't see Dean until they collided.

"Whoa," they both said, reeling a bit from the impact. "Oh, it's you," they chorused again.

The two sized each other up for a moment or two before Dean said, "You know, Rory's not really your type of girl."

Jess' frown deepened, and he waited a beat before saying, "Oh, really? Then what kind of girl is she?"

"Good. Nice. Clean."

"And my type would be?" Dean hadn't ever heard the threatening purr before, so he didn't recognize the thin ice he was treading.

"The opposite of Rory. Look." Dean ran his hands through his floppy hair. "Rory won't give you what you want. She's not that kind of girl."

Jess' blood was at full boil, and he kept himself in check with difficulty. But he did it. "So, how're things going with Kayla?" 

"That's all over," Dean said. "I was so wrong about her. She'll never be Rory."

"You want her back?" Jess shouted. "You were dumb enough to break up with her for someone who is even now working her way through the football team, and you want her back?" He shoved Dean, letting his frustration flow into anger.

"Hey—"

"No!" Jess denied the very idea. "You're an idiot! You don't get a second chance with people like Rory!"

Dean had recovered from his surprise at Jess' volatile mood. "Hey, man, it's not as if you have any say in it." Jess' fists clenched. "She never gave me the bracelet back. Or the car. Maybe I've still got a chance with her."

Jess plowed his fist into Dean's ribs, making the taller boy gasp and double over. He now understood the compulsion to wipe the expression off someone's face, but didn't want to kill his hand by punching Dean across the jaw. "Hey," Dean gasped. "I'm not fighting with you, man."

"Why not?" Jess demanded. "I'm not wearing a tie. I look nothing like an accountant."

"Because I'd ki—oof!" Dean clutched his side when Jess' punch connected with his kidney. "Fine," he said, and straightened, swinging his fist toward Jess' jaw.

Being the smaller of the two, and the more experienced fighter, Jess was quicker and easily avoided the blow. Dean went low for a tackle, and the two grappled for a minute or two.

Suddenly Luke was there, pulling at them, and shouting, "Knock it off!" He finally succeeded in getting the two apart, but Dean still struggled to get in a few hits of his own. "Jess, go home," Luke ordered.

"Yeah, go home, Jess. Go back to New York. Oh, that's right. Your mom didn't want you."

Luke rounded on Dean. "Shut up," he snapped fiercely. "That was so far out of line you're not even in the stadium. Go home and grow up."

"Just remember what I said," Dean couldn't resist shouting at Jess' departing figure.

Luke stood where he was, arms raised to the sky as if to say, "_This_ I need?"

**********

Lorelai spent the time during the fight grilling Rory about what had happened. "Mom, there was nothing going on," Rory insisted.

"Uh-huh. And just what do you think 'nothing' is? He looked like he was about to kiss you."

"He had just helped me stand up, and we were closer than we thought." Rory sounded very firm, and Lorelai wondered who exactly she was trying to convince.

"Hmm," she said. "And what about your position when I found you guys sleeping?"

"Naturally we moved during the night. He probably did it instinctively. It was nothing personal or romantic."

"If you say so," Lorelai sighed. "What do you say we order in?"

An hour later, Rory sat on the couch, shouting unneeded instructions to her mother in the kitchen. "Don't put the Teriyaki chicken and the lo mein on the same plate again! You always mix them up too much and you can't tell one from the other!" She heard the doorbell ring and added, "I knew you forgot to tip Kirk!" She grabbed some money and went to the front door.

"Dean," she said, nonplussed.

"Hi," he said quickly. "Can I talk to you? Outside?"

"Sure," Rory said agreeably. They went out to the front porch swing and sat in uncomfortable silence. "So, how are things with Katie?"

Dean winced at her unconscious echo. "Kayla. And not good."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Rory said sincerely.

"Look, Rory, I made a huge mistake."

"Well, whatever it is, I'm sure the two of you can work it out."

Dean sighed heavily, and flinched when he felt bruises already forming. "That's not what I meant. I think we should give us another shot."

Rory said nothing for a moment. "Huh," she finally responded. He waited for her to find her voice, and didn't notice Lorelai peeking out the front window.

"I know I said some things about us not being as good as it once was, but I think we were just in a rut. Or something. We were good together. I think we should give our relationship another try."

Lorelai opened the front door. "Oh," she said, feigning surprise. "There you are, Rory. Come on, food's ready. Bye, Dean," she added pointedly. 

Rory stood and went towards her mother. "Um, I'll talk to you later, okay? I need some time to think."

The Gilmore girls stood side-by-side and waited until Dean had walked away before closing the door. "When did our lives become soap operas?" Lorelai demanded of her off spring.

"What do you mean 'our?'" Rory said despondently. She dropped onto the couch, gripping Lorelai's hand when she kneeled next to the couch. "You've got Luke and everything is going fine."

"And you've got Jess, and everything was going fine."

Rory snorted. "Please. I don't 'have' Jess." Lorelai shook her head slightly, wondering if she'd been this deep in denial about Luke. "I mean, come on," Rory continued, not noticing her mother's movement. "Jess could have any girl he wants. Why would he want bookish, shy, mousy-looking me?"

"I'm not even going near your description of yourself—except to say it's totally wrong—and am moving on to the fact that Jess is bookish and shy himself. Do not snort again; it makes you look and sound stupid."

"Thanks," Rory said sarcastically. "Jess is not shy."

"Yeah? When was the last time he said more than absolutely necessary to anyone? Except you," she added when she saw Rory open her mouth.

"He's just not very talkative."

"Fine," Lorelai said, knowing finally how stubborn she'd been. "I'll agree to disagree. But I reserve the right to gloat when I'm proven right."

Rory, firmly believing it would never happen, agreed.

**********

The next day, Jess worked busily at the breakfast shift, but took a break as soon as Rory and Lorelai walked in. He was going to talk to her today, but it was going to be in private.

He heard her calling goodbye to Luke, and the door closing behind her, and left the stairway.

"Coffee," Lorelai commanded from behind him. He turned, surprised to see her still there; he thought for sure she and Rory would leave together. Wordlessly, Jess re-filled her mug. "You need to talk to her."

"Why?"

"Because she's wavering. Dean came and talked to her last night, and now she's beginning to reminisce about the fun they had in the beginning. She hasn't talked about it, but I can tell." Lorelai sent Jess a hard, no-fooling glare. "I think you've been patient enough. It's time to give her a push. A little one," she hastened to add. "But still a push."

"You're telling me, the hoodlum, to go steal your daughter, the town darling, from the wholesome jock-type?"

Lorelai leveled a scornful look at him. "Right now Dean just wants to have someone. It doesn't matter who, but he'd prefer it be someone he's already laid the groundwork with. Everyone goes through a phase like that, believe me. _You_, however, care about Rory. You might even love her. That is, of course, your business and I don't really want to know anyway. Right now, I think you and Rory need each other. So go after her."

Jess was completely still for a moment before grabbing his coat and bolting out the door.

Lorelai smiled contentedly and scooted behind the counter. Luke emerged from the kitchen and delivered a breakfast to an older couple. "Where's Jess?" he asked. Before he could stop her, Lorelai threw her arms around his neck and gave him a brief, hard kiss on the lips.

"Never mind him," she said. "I'll be your helper today." She grinned as he flushed scarlet and retreated to the kitchen. "Morning!" she said to a woman who perched at the counter. "What can I get for you?"

**********

Rory was indeed wavering. She sat on her porch steps, fingering the bracelet Dean had given her on her sixteenth birthday. She remembered the fun they'd had, the thrill of the clandestine-type meetings in the beginning, and wondered if it could be like that again. She looked up at the sound of footsteps and smiled thinly at Jess.

"Hey," she said, standing. "I thought you were working this morning."

Jess shook his head, and looked down at her hand. He scowled. "Are you going to do it?" he demanded harshly. "Are you going to go back to Bag Boy? Are you going to let him boss you around again, tell you who to be friends with?"

"Huh?" Rory's expression registered complete shock. "How did you know about that? And if I do go back to Dean, I wouldn't let it affect our friendship any. I wouldn't let it. Dean is my first love," she said, then swallowed when the look on his face turned to disgust. *He's acting almost jealous,* Rory thought, and then pushed the hopeful thought away.

"Fuck Dean affecting our friendship," Jess spat ignoring the last comment, shocking Rory. He'd never used language that strong when he'd talked to her before. "What about our relationship? You and me? As an us?"

"You…you _want_ us to be an…an 'us'?" He didn't respond, just looked at her, his expression closed off. "I mean, you want _me_? God, Jess, you could have any girl in Stars Hollow. You're the rebel boy, the mysterious city gut. I'm just the bookish naïve townie. I mean, you're used to the sophisticated New York girls. How can I even compare?"

He shook his head slowly, sadly. "After all the time we've spent together, do you really think I'm that shallow?"

"You're not shallow! That's not what I said!"

"It's what you implied." He shook his head and turned away.

"Wait, Jess," Rory said desperately. She grabbed his arm. As he spun around he knocked her hand away.

"Do you know," he said, his voice almost a growl. "How long I've been waiting for you?" Rory shivered, feeling a thrill run through her when she heard his tone. "Even before your breakup with Bag Boy, I was waiting. I've held myself back admirably well now that you're free, taking it slow as I could stand. But I can't guarantee I'll be able to if you touch me again. Call me when Bag Boy gets dull again."

"That's hardly fair," Rory sputtered. And despite his warning—or maybe because of it—she put her hand on his shoulder.

For the second time, Jess moved too quickly for Rory to react, and he had her backed up to the porch rails. She raised her eyes to his, and got a glimpse of stormy gray before he kissed her. 

This kiss was so different from the kisses she'd shared with Dean. Those had been innocent. This was anything but. It was basic, primal, but sweet and right at the same time. Rory sighed, and moved her hands to his shoulders, then kissed him back. She actually tasted emotions in his kiss, or maybe just perceived them. Anger, envy, and frustration were in the loaded kiss, but so were gentleness, passion, and affection. She kissed him harder, wishing to drive away the first three.

He pressed her against the post, leaning his lithe form against her. His hands skimmed down her side, resting half on her waist, half on her hips. She squirmed closer to him, but he pulled away. He was gasping for breath when he said, "Oh, god, Rory. I'm sorry…"

"Jess," she interrupted, moving towards him. "I'm not." And she kissed him, twisting her fingers into his thick hair. He groaned softly, and cupped her face in his hands, softening the kiss.

"Okay," Jess said quietly a few minutes later. Their foreheads rested together comfortably, and they just enjoyed being close. "I take it back. I'm not sorry either."

Rory laughed. "You know, this is the only time I'll let you take back stupid things you say," she warned him. "From now on, you've got to 'fess up when you say something totally dumb. And, you've got to admit when you're being sweet. No more blustering about Luke sending over food."

Jess blushed slightly, but grinned at his own expense. "Yeah, I thought it would work. I should have known you would thank him for it. Just don't call me sweet again."

"Aw, but you look so cute when you blush," Rory said mushily. "And—"

Jess kissed her again, repeating his move of pressing her back against the porch. "Hmm," Rory murmured into the kiss. "You like this, don't you?"

"Yeah."

"Me, too. Because I trust you."

"I trust you, too. And believe me, that's not a common thing in my life." Jess smiled at her lightly. "So, what now?"

"Movie?"

"That's what we always do. Let's sit on the couch and read."

Rory smiled. She'd always wanted to do that, but Dean didn't like to read, and also didn't like competing with written words for her attention. "Okay. What are you reading right now?"

"Hemingway." Rory winced and made a face. "Please don't tell me you're reading Ayn Rand?"

"Nope. I'm reading this history book called 'Lies My Teacher Told Me.' This guy went through twelve high school history text books and compiled all the inaccuracies and outright lies they told."

"Sounds shatteringly interesting," Jess said. "I love it. Come on." He pulled a book out of his pocket. "Go get yours. I'll meet you on the couch."

Rory ran to her room, grabbed the book from her bed, and returned to find Jess stretched out across the couch. "Where am I supposed to sit?" she demanded, hands on hips, mock-glaring at him.

"Anywhere you like," Jess said, not looking up at her but fighting a grin. He was sure she had that pissed-off-fairy look going, and wasn't going to look. Rory took the initiative and dumped his feet to the floor. He caught himself half-on the couch, and finally glowered at her.

She sat at the end of the couch, curled into the corner. Jess sat back up, grabbed her feet, and pulled her toward him. "Hey!" she cried in surprise. But she didn't protest when he pulled her over his lap so she was leaning against the arm of the couch. "Well, fine, but you could have told me what you were doing," she grumbled half-heartedly, and opened her book. He grinned at her for a moment before opening his own.

**********

Lorelai found them like that a few hours later. It was just getting dusky in the room, and Jess reached over Rory's shoulder to turn on a lamp just as Lorelai entered the house. She felt a little pang when she noticed Jess nuzzling her daughter's neck—obviously not aware of Lorelai's presence—and Rory sighing and leaning into it just a bit, but not looking up from her book.

Lorelai could hardly blame the new couple as she had just come from snuggling on the couch with Luke. But she couldn't help but wish her daughter had stayed with the safe boy, the one who everybody in town liked. They were going to have trouble as a couple until the town warmed to Jess—which would be approximately never—but she thought they were up to the challenge. And more. 

"Hello," Lorelai said, closing the door behind her before all the heat left the living room.

Jess held Rory in place when she wanted to jump off the couch. Lorelai assured her, "I'm just passing through." With that, she went upstairs.

**********

"Ah," Jess said once Lorelai was upstairs. He didn't like the way Rory was eyeing him suspiciously. "I actually have a confession to make. When I left here yesterday? I sort of ran into Dean."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Literally. We exchanged words, and he said something along the lines of you wouldn't give me what I wanted, and that I was wasting my time with you because you're not my type of girl." Rory frowned mightily at that. "Then he said he was going to ask you to go back with him. Kayla is now going out with her second football player, and it's only been two weeks since they broke up."

"So that's what he meant by, 'Not good,'" Rory said, still frowning. She waited for a minute. "Well, keep going."

"Well, I kind of lost it. And I punched him."

"He didn't have a black eye or anything swollen when I talked to him. Don't look at me like that, I'll tell you how that conversation went as soon as you tell me what happened."

Jess sighed and pulled a hand through his hair. "I didn't punch him in the face; that's the quickest way to break your own hand. I hit him in the stomach. Easier for me to reach. He told me he wasn't going to fight with me. You know when you told me about that dance you took him to, and that guy—Tristain? He used the exact same dialogue then."

"He never really was much for words," Rory muttered.

"So, he tried to say that he'd kill me if I fought him, and I punched him again. He doubled over, and came up swinging. He went for the face. We grappled for a bit, and then Luke came and broke us up, yelling at both of us to go home." Jess left out Dean's parting shot about New York. He didn't want to whine to Rory. "So, tell me what happened after that."

"He rang the doorbell, and I answered, thinking it was Kirk because we'd ordered food and mom forgot to tip him. But it was Dean. He asked if we could talk, and I said sure. I mean, we were still friends. I asked how things were with…Kayla, right?…only I said Katie…. Anyway, he said he'd made a mistake, and that we were just in a rut, and that we should give us another chance." Rory sighed. "My mother has impeccable timing and opened the door, announcing the food was ready, and dismissing Dean very neatly. I told him I needed to think."

Jess sighed, and let his head fall back. "And you were wavering."

"We had fun, for a while," Rory defended herself. "Though, I think it was more the clandestine-type meetings we had at first, knowing my mother and how she would react to my dating at my age. She is still a mother, after all, even when she's my best friend. But…we would never do things that I really wanted to do. Like this, well, before mom got home. Just spend quiet time together, getting used to each other. Reading together."

"It was good. I could think of things I'd rather be doing with you," he added, grinning suggestively, "but reading with you is comfortable and good."

"I've got another confession," Jess said. "Your mom sent me after you today."

Rory stilled, then shot him a disbelieving look. "What?"

"I was going to give you a day or two, maybe talk to you at the bus stop tomorrow. But Lorelai demanded coffee and then said I should go after you."

"So that's why she was so cool just now," Rory murmured. She remembered the last time she thought her mother had interfered, when she'd talked to Dean behind her back. She'd been so mad. Now she was only grateful. "I thought for sure she'd flip out."

"And I thought for sure you'd be mad at me. You flipped out when she talked to Dean at the picnic thing."

"This time I'm grateful instead of annoyed." 

Jess smiled at her for the first time since the conversation started. He leaned in to kiss her again. "I can't believe I'm actually able to do this. Any time I like," he added slyly, placing gentle kisses from her cheek to her ear. Rory smiled as she felt his gentle breath stir her hair.

"I can safely say I'm pretty fond of it myself," she murmured, craning her neck to place a kiss on the bend of his neck. He groaned, and began a gentle suction on her skin, causing heat to run through her. "Though Chilton frowns on hickeys," she murmured, biting lightly at his skin to get his attention.

"They won't notice," Jess said shortly. "It's covered up by your hair."

"But I have to tie my hair up for PE," Rory said softly.

"That does indeed present a challenge, doesn't it?" She laughed, but didn't push him away. His mouth was so warm on her skin: she felt flushed all over. He nipped her softly, sending shivers down her spine. She sighed and leaned back, content to let him continue. "It'll only be a small one, I promise," Jess continued, combing her hair through his fingers slowly, moving it out of his way. "You can pass it off as a birth mark."

"I've never had one there before," Rory said.

"They just never noticed it," he said. "Now, stop talking."

"Look, just because I'm your girlfriend—" She stopped when he moved his mouth from her nape and kissed her. "Much better," she said, muffled against his mouth.

**********

****

A/N2: Yeah, I almost never do these, but I'd just like to say that Lorelai's feelings on the "just wants somebody" phase are my own. I know there is a phase like this because I have multiple friends who are experiencing this currently, and are hurting themselves and others in the process. But it might very well be necessary to finding out what you want in life. I don't know. I've never gone through it. I admit I've wanted to, but never been able to. Anyway, enough with the free-therapy-talk. Thank you for reading, and reviews are always welcome! More coming soon, so just hold yer horses!


	6. The Buildup

A/N: Okay. I don't like this section as much, but I'll fix it somehow in the edit for the final format. Standard disclaimers apply. I don't think I spelled "Doose's" right…Taylor's market…yeah, I don't know that one. Please read and review, please! Thank you!  
  
The Buildup  
  
Monday morning, Rory groaned and put a pillow over her head, determined to ignore her alarm for once in her life. She'd set it early, from some demented notion that if it went off earlier than necessary, she could lounge about it bed longer and not feel guilty. It didn't work: she still felt guilty.  
  
"Tell me why your alarm is going off a half-our before usual, and tell me quick before I destroy it." Lorelai's voice came from directly next to Rory's bed, and she took the pillow off her head and looked at her mother. She explained her reasoning. "That sounds like it should work. But I can tell by your disgruntled expression that it doesn't." Lorelai reached over and hit the off button for her daughter, then sat next to her. "So," she said, far too cheery for the morning. Then she sighed. "Okay, five seconds is the record for pulling off that kind of perky at this hour of the night."  
  
"It's morning," Rory said, rubbing her eyes, then stretching.  
  
"To-may-to, to-mah-to," Lorelai said, yawning. "Anyway, I was going to say, how did things go last night after I went upstairs? When I came down a couple hours later for dinner Jess was gone." Rory blushed. "Good, huh?"  
  
"Um, yeah," Rory said. "Are you a mom right now, or Lorelai?"  
  
"I am capable of being both."  
  
"Not before coffee."  
  
"True. Hmm…Lorelai." When Rory heard this, she pulled her hair back. "Wow," Lorelai said around the tears she felt, but tamped down. Her baby wasn't going to be one for much longer. And her baby was happy about it. "That is one impressive hickey."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Actually, no, it's about the size of a dime, but it's your first. Right?"  
  
Rory sent her mother a look. "Of course it is," she said. "I would have told you. I tell you everything."  
  
"Is he a good kisser?"  
  
"You're much more casual about this than you were with Dean."  
  
"I've had practice now, haven't I?"  
  
"Yes, he's a very good kisser. I don't know; there's something…special, I guess, about his kisses. Not just because these are the first, I don't know…."  
  
"It's that indefinable something," Lorelai agreed, being torn apart inside with envy that her daughter found something so special her second time out of the gate. She decided to confess. "You know, I was insanely jealous of you."  
  
"When?"  
  
"When I found you and Jess sleeping together. Damn, why do I always phrase that wrong? Sleeping in the same bed. That's really the only accurate way to put it. Anyway, I saw him with his arm around you. He had his face buried in your hair. It was so sweet, and he was so protective. And when I saw that, I got insanely jealous. He's so incredibly crazy about you."  
  
"Mom—" Rory's eyes widened, and she felt the first stirrings of panic.  
  
"No, no! Don't be like me," Lorelai said, grabbing her daughter's hand. "I think I've completely scarred you with bad relationships and fear of commitment. Be cautious, yes, but not scared. Jess wouldn't hurt you, not on purpose. You've got to know that. He's really just like Luke."  
  
"Yeah," Rory said, and, eager to change the subject, added, "How are things with you two?"  
  
Lorelai swallowed hard and then said, "So, how about some coffee? Let's go get dressed and shock the diner by getting there early."  
  
"Mom, come on," Rory said, grabbing her mother's hand when she moved to stand. "I 'fessed up to you. It's your turn."  
  
Lorelai sighed, and then sighed again, looking up at the ceiling. "We haven't slept together except that one time." Rory felt the slightest hint of embarrassment—this was mom and Luke! —but forced it away. "And that one time…it was incredible. I won't go into detail—"  
  
"Thank you."  
  
"Your welcome. But anyway, we've been dating, kissing, snuggling. Talking, laughing, getting to know each other really well. And he's not pushing, not getting impatient. He's not doing all the things the guys up to now have been doing. I'm usually the one who as to call him for another date."  
  
"He's letting you pursue him, but keeping you at a distance," Rory said smugly. "Luke really is very smart. He's treating you like you treated all the other guys, without the physical stuff."  
  
Lorelai flopped back on the bed and winced. "Yeah, I know. I'm really going to have to apologize to them…but now I see where they're coming from. I think I'm in love with Luke."  
  
"Finally!" Rory shouted, clapping her hands. "Finally! You're the first to say it, and you admitted it out loud!" She bounced on the bed happily for a long moment. Then she said, "So, why aren't you happier about this?"  
  
"Because, what if he really is doing the same thing as me? Leading me along, with no intention of being more serious?"  
  
"You can't really think that," Rory snapped harshly—for Rory—making Lorelai look at her in astonishment. "You can't. That's the stupidest thing you've ever said. Luke has been in love with you for years," she said very slowly, and very distinctly. "Everyone knows it. Even Grandma saw it before you did. So, tonight, I'm ordering you to get dressed up, call him over here, and tell him you love him."  
  
"But what if—"  
  
"He won't."  
  
Lorelai sighed. "All right. I agree. Provided no emergency springs up between then and now."  
  
"Good. Now, let's go get coffee."  
  
"Now?"  
  
"Yes, now, you have a better suggestion?"  
  
"But, I'd have to go to Luke's."  
  
"Yes, that is typically where we find our particular favorite coffee."  
  
"But Luke will be there."  
  
"And it's the perfect time to invite him to dinner."  
  
Lorelai sighed. "You're not going to let me out of this, are you?"  
  
"Nope."  
  
"What are you and Jess going to be doing?"  
  
"Running the diner, most likely. I'll talk to Jess before you talk to Luke."  
  
Lorelai nodded, and they separated to get dressed.  
  
**********  
  
They walked into Luke's diner, almost ready to start their day. When Luke saw them, he looked down at his watch, tapped it, held it up to his ear, and then finally looked at the wall clock. "These can't both have stopped at the same time," Luke said mockingly. "Really, what is the world coming to when you can't have at least one dependable time-telling device in the whole place?"  
  
"Funny man," Lorelai said grumpily. "I told you he would mock us."  
  
"I knew he would mock us. I just wanted to find out how."  
  
"So," Luke said, bracing himself. "Why are you two here so early?"  
  
"Trying something out that didn't work the way she planned," Lorelai said hurriedly. "She deliberately set her alarm for early, thinking she could ignore it and not feel guilty and still be on time."  
  
"I still felt guilty."  
  
"And her alarm woke me up. That thing is loud."  
  
"Uh-huh," Luke said. "So you both got up, rather than go back to bed? I wonder if anyone's seen a pig with wings anywhere around…"  
  
"You get two more," Lorelai said, holding up the corresponding amount of fingers. "And then we retaliate with flannel jokes."  
  
"And baseball hat jokes," Rory put in.  
  
"And diner jokes," Jess said. Rory looked at him and smiled. He smiled back, and then said, "Ah. There she is. The town princess, out for her morning stroll through her loyal subjects."  
  
"There's just one loyal subject I want right now," Rory said. "The diner- boy who will immediately give the princess her coffee."  
  
"Hey," Lorelai said to Luke. "If she's the princess, doesn't that make me a queen?"  
  
"Of drama," Luke muttered under his breath. He grabbed the coffeepot, then stopped. "Wait a minute. I gave you coffee last night for this morning. You swore it would last until now, that you would heat it up." Lorelai grinned and rolled her eyes to the ceiling. "You told me that if it didn't, you wouldn't ask for more this morning."  
  
"Um…Rory drank it!"  
  
"Mom!"  
  
"No, really, she did. She went on this insane rampage last night and ate everything in our fridge. She wanted to get sick so she wouldn't have to go to Hell today." Luke just raised an eyebrow at her. "Well, it could have happened," she muttered to herself, folding her arms and pouting. "Please, Lukey?"  
  
"Don't call me that." Luke winced.  
  
"Why not, Lukey?"  
  
"Because it's disgusting, that's why."  
  
"What's disgusting, Lukey?"  
  
"If I give you some coffee, will you stop that?" Luke finally gave in.  
  
"Rory, too," Lorelai said. "Don't forget!"  
  
"What do you want for breakfast?"  
  
"Pancakes. Ooh, and French toast! Eggs, over medium, sunny side up!"  
  
"Pick pancakes or French toast. I will not do both." Lorelai began to pout again. "You don't have time for both," Luke pointed out.  
  
"Fine. Pancakes."  
  
Jess and Rory's eyes bobbed back and forth between the two as if they were watching a tennis tournament. At the last of the exchange, they glanced at each other and simultaneously rolled their eyes. Then they grinned at each other. "I take it you want the same thing?" Jess asked rhetorically while Luke went into the kitchen.  
  
"Naturally. Listen, Jess? Do you have any objection to the two of us working the diner tonight? Mom wants Luke to come over for dinner."  
  
"You're not going to cook, are you?" Jess asked, not feigning horror. "I thought you liked my uncle."  
  
Lorelai made a face. "No, I'm not cooking. I'm…what am I doing, Rory?" she suddenly demanded, looking in panic at her daughter. "There'll be no food! And I can't ask Luke to cook when I invited him over!"  
  
"Mom, relax," Rory said. "And keep your voice down. Just ask Sookie to make something for you."  
  
"Right. Sookie. Right." Lorelai took a deep breath, and let it out. "Okay. Great. First panic of the day, six forty-five in the morning. This is going to be a great day." She lay her head on the countertop, and considered bashing it a few times.  
  
"Mom, it's okay. Really. It's not that bad."  
  
"Shh!" Lorelai didn't raise her head. "Don't tempt Fate, remember?"  
  
"Oh, right, sorry." Rory made a zippering motion across her lips.  
  
Jess went off to serve another customer, and Rory and Lorelai were left at the counter. Miss Patty came into the diner. She immediately made her way to Rory. "Hello, dear. How are you doing?" Without waiting for Rory's reply, she went on, "I was so happy to hear about you and Dean getting back together. You're such a cute couple. You know, dear, I'm not sure you should be sitting at the counter. I heard that Jess and Dean got into quite a row Saturday. How is Jess? Dean supposedly beat him pretty badly." Miss Patty eagerly craned her neck, trying to see Jess' face. But Jess stayed with his back to the woman. "Oh well," she sighed. "His back's not too bad to look at either. Well, if you'll excuse me, girls, I've got an early morning yoga class to teach."  
  
Before Rory could react, the large woman was gone. "She can move quick when she wants to," Lorelai muttered, looking as shocked as Rory. "Where did those rumors come from? I don't suppose Dean…?"  
  
"He might have. Though it could just be overactive imaginations." Rory shook her head, dazed. Luke came out of the kitchen with two full plates in time to catch her movement.  
  
"What are you shaking your head at?" he demanded. "You haven't even seen the food yet, and I know you're not turning down coffee."  
  
"Miss Patty just said something interesting," Rory said.  
  
"Everything that comes out of that woman's mouth is 'interesting.' Or so she thinks." Luke set the plates down in front of Rory and Lorelai, and they both eagerly dug in.  
  
"What did Miss Flirty want?" Jess asked.  
  
"You didn't hear her?"  
  
"I was actually doing my job," he sighed. He recited two table's orders to Luke, who in turn relayed them back to the kitchen. "But, I assume what she said would be of interest to me, so spill."  
  
"She said she'd heard that Dean and Rory got back together, and that in you guys' fight Saturday Dean beat you up." Lorelai had learned of the fight from Luke, and assumed that Jess had told Rory since she didn't look surprised.  
  
Jess scowled. "I can't believe Dean would use the whole town to pressure you like that," he said. "That is so low. And he didn't even get a shot in!"  
  
"Jess," Rory protested. "Calm down. It could just be someone overreacting. It's happened before."  
  
"Yeah, but I bet he didn't do anything to set the record straight, either." Jess ran a hand through his hair. "You're going to talk to him, right? Soon?"  
  
"Yeah. He'll probably call me tonight. I'll tell him then. I will not seek him out, because that will just intensify the rumors." Rory ate the last mouthful of pancake, and looked at her watch. "And just in time to catch the bus," she said triumphantly. "Maybe it did work." She kissed her mom on the cheek and hugged her, and took Jess' hand from across the counter and squeezed. "See you later?"  
  
"Bet on it," he said quietly, and squeezed back.  
  
"Bye, Luke," Rory said cheerfully and went to the bus stop.  
  
After she was gone, Jess retreated to the tables, going around and re- filling coffee mugs and water glasses, leaving Luke and Lorelai alone at the counter. "Hey, Luke," Lorelai said.  
  
"I'm not giving you more coffee," Luke said flatly.  
  
"Oh," Lorelai said, peering into her mug. "I hadn't noticed. Um, anyway." She didn't see the confused and slightly worried look on Luke's face when he heard that she hadn't noticed she was out of coffee. "How about dinner tonight? At my place?"  
  
"Uh, sure. I'll ask Jess to close tonight."  
  
"Great, Rory can help, too. So, come over at seven, okay? I'll be waiting." She leaned over the counter to kiss him, making him blush. She smiled and left.  
  
**********  
  
At school, Rory had a light flush all day long. She kept thinking someone would notice her "gift" from Jess. The only thing people noticed was her goofy smile. She could only think, "I've got a great boyfriend!"  
  
"What are you so happy about?" Paris demanded at the newspaper meeting.  
  
"I'm having a good day," Rory said. "Is there something wrong with that?"  
  
"No, there's nothing wrong with that. But, please, tell me what it's like to have a good day. I'd like to hear about the experience some time."  
  
"You've had good days," Rory said chidingly. "Come on, that night at my house was fun." Rory thought back to the hilarious picture of Jess and Paris sitting at her kitchen table talking about literature. Who would have thought that the "hoodlum" and the utterly uptight girl would get along so well? Certainly not Rory.  
  
Paris rolled her eyes. "Until the next morning. God, how can you eat like that?"  
  
"Years and years of experience. And a few hits-and-misses as to limits."  
  
Paris shuddered. The meeting went on from there, and they got their assignments for their next issue. Rory took her assignment and went directly to the bus, eager to get home so she could get coffee and see Jess.  
  
She stepped off the bus, and saw Dean waiting for her. It struck her that even four months ago, she would have rushed over to him, kissed him, and then told him about her day. Now she just wanted to get their talk over with and go argue with Jess. Dean jumped up when he saw her, and she smiled thinly at her. "Rory!" he said.  
  
*Uh-oh,* Rory thought. *He's speaking in exclamation points again.* "Hi, Dean," Rory said. "Look, I'm just going to say this quick. I don't think it would be a good idea for us to get back together. It wouldn't—couldn't—be the same as it was, and I honestly wouldn't want it to be."  
  
Dean frowned at her and said, "It's that punk, Jess, isn't it?" He ran his hands through his hair. "What am I talking about? Of course it's him. You've gotten sucked into the romantic notion of taming the bad boy. Come on, Rory, you're too smart for that."  
  
Rory frowned. "You don't know him, Dean. You can't talk about him like that. And apparently you don't know me, either, or you never would have said that." She turned and took a few steps towards the diner.  
  
"Wait, Rory," Dean said somewhat desperately. Rory turned and looked at him expectantly, but didn't move towards him. "Just…just watch your step with him, okay? He's a lot more…experienced than you are. Just don't let him sweet-talk or pressure you into anything."  
  
Rory rolled her eyes and again turned her back on him. "Oh, Dean?" she said, stopping, but not turning. "I'd try to set the rumors straight next time."  
  
She opened the door to the diner, and immediately went to Jess, standing with his back to her, taking a late lunch order. She waited until he was finished, and then covered his eyes from behind. "Guess who," she said playfully.  
  
"Scarlet? Is it really you?" he teased. He spun, and then frowned at her. "Oh, it's you."  
  
"I didn't surprise you," Rory pouted.  
  
"Nope," he said. "For one thing, I heard the door open. For another, I could feel you watching me. And thirdly," he bent down and whispered, "I smelled you."  
  
"Gee, thanks," she said. "Good to know."  
  
"You smell kind of like…I don't know. Some rainforest full of blooming flowers, or something."  
  
She smiled at him. "Okay, you're forgiven. But you'll be even more forgiven when you get me coffee."  
  
"We're out of coffee."  
  
"Haha, that's so funny. I forgot to laugh. Now, come on, cough it up."  
  
"I'm serious," Jess said, moving behind the counter. "We're all out. Luke's over at Doose's picking some up right now."  
  
"As long as it will be here within the next hour," Rory said. "I can wait."  
  
"So, did you talk to Dean yet?" Jess asked quietly. He noticed the stares he and Rory had gotten from the tourists. Most looked amused and a little nostalgic. A few looked a little put-off, but not enough to leave.  
  
Rory nodded. "I told him that I wasn't going to go back to him." Jess reached for her hand.  
  
"Did you tell him about us?"  
  
"I didn't have to," Rory said dryly. "The rumor mill is working over time, it seems. He warned me that my desire to tame the wild boy, which is just so stupid, was simply drawing me in. Why would I want to tame you? I like you wild."  
  
"Thank you," Jess said. "I think. And I'm not as wild as I used to be."  
  
"You're just wild enough," she pronounced.  
  
"Stop it, you're making me blush," Jess joked. "Ah, here's Luke with the coffee."  
  
"Ah!" Rory cried. "My savior! Thank you, thank you, thank you!"  
  
"You aren't going to kiss his feet or anything, are you?" Jess joked.  
  
"No," Rory said, pulling a face. "But I do want that coffee brewing right this minute or I'll do something to embarrass you both."  
  
"Like what?"  
  
"Do you really want to know what I'm capable of when deprived of coffee?"  
  
"Knowing who your mother is, no."  
  
Luke just shook his head at this exchange, and put the coffee on. "So, what're you doing tonight, Rory?"  
  
"Helping Jess run the diner. It'll be fun. It'll be like a date." Jess smiled broadly at that.  
  
"And after we close the diner, we can go watch movies."  
  
"Or read," Rory said with a secret smile for Jess.  
  
"Or that."  
  
"So, I'll be here at seven to help," she said. She took the travel cup of coffee from Luke's hand before he could set it on the counter. "I'll see you later."  
  
"Wait, Rory," Luke said. Rory spun back around to face him. "What exactly does your mom have planned for tonight? I mean, she's acting kind of weird about everything, and…I thought she would have told you something."  
  
"It's just dinner, Luke," Rory said, crossing her fingers behind her back. "Really, you have nothing to worry about. I promise. Bye!"  
  
"Bye," Jess said. Luke echoed the sentiment distractedly. Jess turned and eyed his uncle critically. "So, what are you wearing?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"What are you wearing to dinner tonight?"  
  
"What I always wear. Why? What's wrong with this?"  
  
Jess sighed. "Okay, you don't have to wear a three-piece suit, but at least try to look nice for her. Do you have any slacks, or anything? Maybe a nice dress shirt? You don't have to look too fancy, don't freak out, but jeez! At least make the effort."  
  
"You're gonna help me, right?" Luke demanded, grabbing Jess' arm. "She's never invited me to dinner at her house before. I mean, what is she doing? What if she's breaking up with me?"  
  
*He sounds like a high schooler,* Jess thought, amused. *Better disabuse him of that little notion right now, though. It sounds like Lorelai has big plans for tonight.* "Trust me, Luke," Jess said soothingly. "You invite someone out for a dinner away from any personal space if you're breaking up with someone. You don't ask someone to dinner at your house."  
  
Luke breathed a sigh of relief. "I'll have to take your word for it." Then he looked at his nephew, his face blank but his eyes pleading. Jess sighed, and nodded. The wordless exchange satisfied them both, and they went back to work. 


	7. Nerves, Love Words, and Vague Plans

****

A/N: Okay. Here it is. The chapter/moment you've all been waiting for. And without further ado, I give you: The Love Chapter….and standard disclaimers apply.

****

Nerves, Love Words and Vague Plans

"You look great," Rory assured her mother for the fifth time, watching her try on outfit after dress after outfit. She stifled a sigh as her mother dived back into the closet. A minute later she emerged with a Spanish-style dress with large roses on one layer and black lace over those. It was off the shoulder, with the hem of the skirt going from mid-thigh on one side to mid-calf on the other.

Lorelai looked at herself in the mirror. "Way, way, _way_ too fancy!" She turned and stopped when she saw Rory closing the closet door and barricading it herself.

"Mom," Rory said, taking her mother's shoulders. "Take deep, even breaths, or you're going to hyperventilate." She nodded approvingly as Lorelai waved her hands and did as Rory said. "That outfit," Rory continued slowly, "is perfect. Really. Now." She turned Lorelai and sat her down at her vanity. "Do your makeup." She refrained from telling her mother she had ten minutes before Luke showed up at the usual time for a seven o'clock date: seven fifteen. He'd done that from the start, knowing Lorelai as he did. "I'm going to make sure Sookie leaves when I do. You know as well as I do that she'd serve the food for you if you let her."

"Yeah. Okay. Thanks." Lorelai sighed and dug into the various paints, powders and brushes.

**********

"You look fine," Jess said, turning a page of Northanger Abbey, not looking at his uncle.

"You know, it usually makes people feel better if you _look_ at someone when you say that," Luke snapped, standing awkwardly in front of his closet in the clothes Jess had picked. He looked down at the charcoal Dockers and the off-white button-down shirt. He left the baseball hat on the dresser.

"I know how it looks," Jess said absently, tilting the book so he could write in the margin. He fought a grin when he saw Luke twisting in front of the mirror out of the corner of his eye. "Luke," he sighed. "Chill out. What are you so worked up about? It's just dinner."

"It's not at a restaurant. We've never had an in-house date. An in-house date is a big thing." He raked his hands through his hair and looked in the mirror again, skeptical. "I just don't think I should make a big deal about the whole thing. This," he added, pointing at his reflection, "is making it a big deal."

"No," Jess said. "Wearing a suit with a jacket and tie is making a big deal. This is just making more effort than jeans and flannel. Look, Luke. You've got to trust me. You look fine, Lorelai will think you look good—girls love that faux-casual look—and you guys will have fun. Not too much fun," he added, putting a stern edge to his voice. "But fun."

They were silent for a minute or two. Then Luke murmured, "Thanks," before putting on a coat and leaving.

"No problem at all," Jess murmured back to the empty room.

He closed the book and went downstairs, telling Caesar he could handle the diner. Caesar left just as Rory entered. She immediately slipped behind the counter and tied on an apron. Before he could say or do anything, Rory pulled him into a long, smacking kiss that had a few of the patrons applauding.

Jess blew out a breath when Rory pulled away with a grin on her face. "Wow," he said, returning the grin, and ignoring the slightly worrying mix of embarrassment and surprise at herself also in her expression. "Are we setting new standards for greeting now?"

"Only for everybody else," Sookie said from the counter, grinning at the couple.

Rory smiled back, her cheeks still tinted, and settled into the role of diner-girl for the night. "What can we get for you?"

**********

*Oh, god!* Lorelai screamed internally. *What am I doing? I've got to be a total idiot! I've never said, "I love you" to anyone! Well, any man. Well, romantically. I mean, yeah, they've said it to me…but what if he doesn't feel the same? Everyone could be wrong. God knows Mom doesn't know Luke at all, so she really can't be trusted. But…Rory, Sookie? They know him.* The doorbell rang, and she shrieked and whirled towards the sound.

"Lorelai?" Luke asked from the other side of the door, sounding worried.

"Oh," she said, watching him come in. "I thought I just saw a mouse. Turned out it was a wadded-up sock." She laughed, nervously. "Wow," she said, finally noticing his clothes when he took off his jacket and hung it up. "I like the clothes. Very nice." She smiled then, feeling some of her nerves slip away. *I can do this,* Lorelai thought now, with growing confidence. *I mean, it's _Luke_. He's great. He's cute as all get-out, especially when you can see his eyes. He's so handy, and…he kisses…well, really, really good.* 

She stepped towards him, giving his eyes time to rake over her before she pulled him to her for a kiss. His arms twined around her waist and pulled her onto her toes. The kiss lasted for a few minutes before she pulled back and said, "Wait until you see what Sookie made for us."

"Just let me fix my own plate, okay?" Luke asked jokingly.

"Oh, fine, be a spoilsport." They hooked their arms together and went back to the kitchen. Lorelai had lighted candles that flickered over a table laden with dishes. Two plates were set on one side of the table. "I thought about all those 'romantic' dinners everyone has set up, and they always sit the people on opposite sides of the table," Lorelai babbled, beginning to dish food before she even sat down. "And I keep thinking, what's romantic about being on the other side of the table from someone? Isn't it better to be right next to each other?" She pulled a lid off a pot and made a face. "This is yours. Sookie made you some vegetable stew, and a tofu stir-fry. I think that's it." She pointed at a platter. "There's also some veggie burgers, and anything else you could possibly want."

"Lorelai," Luke said. "Come on, sit down." He pulled her chair out for her out of habit, and she slid into it. She looked up to thank him, and found her mouth claimed by his. She put a hand to his cheek as he pulled away. "Thank you," she said quietly.

"You're welcome," he said. He sat and dished himself some stir-fry. He tasted it, and loved it. Soon his plate was bare, while Lorelai still had most of the chicken that smelled strongly of garlic on her plate. "Is everything okay?" he asked. "You're not eating much."

"No, I'm fine," Lorelai answered quickly. "Really. Great. I just want to make sure there's leftovers. You know, for Rory." Luke nodded, and spooned another bite of crisped peapod into his mouth. "I want this recipe," Luke said simply.

"I'll ask Sookie for it tomorrow."

"Thanks."

"Sure."

Lorelai picked up her fork and began to pick at her food. "Okay," Luke said, putting down his own fork and turning in his chair to look at her. She turned also, until their knees were intertwined. "What's wrong?" he took her hands, and gazed into her eyes, searching for the cause of these nerves. Her hands were shaking.

Lorelai looked at him for a long moment, staring into those deep blue eyes, and feeling her own start to tear up. "I love you," she blurted, then began crying.

Luke felt the shock reverberate through him. "That's what's wrong?" he asked numbly.

"No, no, no! That's not wrong! Oh! I wanted to wait for the right time!" Lorelai pounded the table in half-hearted frustration. "But I have no idea what the 'right time' was! I know I was going to tell you tonight. I do know that, I planned that. But I can see that was a dumb thing to do."

"No," Luke said, brushing away a tear gently with the pad of his thumb. "No, not dumb."

She ignored him. "I mean, everyone can't be right. Why would you love me? I'm so neurotic I sometimes annoy myself, and as for the coffee thing—"

"But everyone is right," Luke said quietly, but it stopped her ranting. She stared at him. "They're right. I do love you. Even Rachel saw it. She told me not to wait too long to make a move."

"Oh, Luke," Lorelai said. "I'm so sorry. I didn't want to come between you—"

"No," Luke said sharply. "If anything, she came between us. And she knew it. I knew it, too, but I didn't think you'd want me."

"Why wouldn't anyone want you?" Lorelai demanded, her voice as sharp as his. "What idiot wouldn't want someone as sweet as you? You're a successful business owner, you're responsible for a difficult teenage boy—the only family he can count on—you care about people's health enough to yell at them, and most important of all, you took over the male role in a young girl's life when she needed it. Anyone would be lucky to have you."

"You," Luke said, pointing at her, "are exactly the same. Come on. You came here, sixteen, broke, without a job, and a baby attached to you, and you made quite a life for yourself. I'd say anyone would be lucky to have you."

"Wow," Lorelai said. "That's so sweet, I think I'm going to cry again." She bit her lip until she controlled it. "Enough of this mutual compliment-fest. Let's try this again. Luke Danes, I love you."

"Lorelai Gilmore, I love you, too."

Lorelai dove at him, nearly tipping his chair onto the floor in her enthusiasm. They laughed as they rolled and kissed in pure joy on the kitchen floor, until the laughter quieted into the touches and pleasures of love.

**********

Somehow, before midnight they made it up to Lorelai's bed. Luke stroked her arm lightly, making her shiver in delight. "So," he said, then kissed her temple almost absently. "What are we going to do now?"

"I don't know. What's the next step usually?"

"I think moving in together is the new custom. But that could be—"

Lorelai finished for him when he groped for words. "A little awkward, what with Rory and Jess being involved. I don't know. Maybe we should hold off on it. I mean, maybe we could wait until Rory's off at college." She fought back sadness at that. "Jess, too. Then if could be just you and me."

"By that time we'd be ready to get married," Luke joked, but was only half-kidding. He expected Lorelai to freak out, given her recent experience with Max. But she simply turned to him, smiling slyly.

"Maybe we would be," she murmured, then traced his lips with her fingertips.

"Maybe you would want to have more kids. With me." Luke looked sort of…wistful. "Don't get me wrong," he said hastily. "I love Rory like a daughter, I really do."

"I believe you've showed that in a hundred different ways already," Lorelai agreed quietly.

"But…I wouldn't mind if you wanted more kids," he said finally, quickly.

Lorelai just smiled slowly. "They'd be tall, you realize," she said. "Tall, with dark hair and blue eyes."

"Yeah," Luke sighed, and pulled her close again. "But this is all a few years away. We can wait. They can wait," he added almost under his breath.

"Yeah," Lorelai said, and kissed him again.


	8. After the Diner

****

A/N: Okay. I am a totally inexperienced person when it comes to relationships. If that is not immediately obvious when reading my stuff, then I have succeeded in fooling you all! Wha-ha-ha!…ahem, yes. Anyway, I tried to keep them in character and yet tweak them the way I want them to be. Standard disclaimers…blah, bah-dee, blah, blah, blah. 

****

After the Diner

The dinner rush had left Rory too busy to think about exactly why she'd greeted Jess like she had. She hadn't ever been that bold before, but she was feeling romantic tonight, and he was so handsome…he was beyond even cute. And he was sweet, running the diner so Luke and Lorelai could have a romantic evening was just the kind of thing he did that made Rory realize he was much more than just a "bad boy."

So what had possessed her to grab him and kiss him in front of everyone in the diner? She'd lived with her mother long enough to be able to identify lust. Or at the very least want. And she took umbrage to the fact Dean had insinuated she couldn't think enough for herself to know that she was being manipulated. She knew her own mind. And since their first kiss, hers had been consume with thoughts that would make even her mother blush.

She watched Jess move up the stairs in front of her, and wondered what he looked like without a shirt. Then she blushed, wondering exactly how much influence Miss Patty had had on her when she was younger. Unsure of her emotions, Rory hesitated outside the apartment door.

Jess continued back to his room, chatting idly. "So, Luke of course doesn't have many movies. You can go ahead and check if you want." He turned and frowned, craning to look into the hallway. "Rory?"

She hurried into the apartment. "Um, a random movie is fine with me," she said, and leaned—casually, she hoped—against the doorjamb to his room. Then she found out how he looked without his shirt as he pulled it over his head and rooted around in his dresser for a clean one.

"Uh, Jess?" Rory asked, watching as he covered his leanly muscled torso again.

"Yeah?"

"Can we talk?" She sat on his bed, eyes shooting upwards to his face.

He frowned. "Yeah. Always. You're one of the few people I can talk to. But I can tell this isn't going to be one of those literature talks we're so good at." He sat next to her and wanted to take her hand, but wasn't sure he should.

Rory took a deep breath, and let it out. "I need to know…about you. Well, your past. Your romantic, past."

"Huh," Jess said, looking away.

"I said that wrong." Rory blew out a breath. "I don't _need_ to know. I want to know. I want to know what other girls you've um…liked?"

Jess scooted back until he could half-lay against his headboard. He smiled thinly at Rory. "I could ask the same," he said, then held a hand up to forestall her saying anything. "But I know there's only been Dean."

"And Tristan," Rory blurted.

"Ah," Jess said, his eyes narrowing. "The good girl has a past. Wait, Tristan? Isn't that the guy at the dance?"

"Yeah," Rory said. "A couple months after the dance Dean and I broke up. That same night, practically, I went to a party and Tristan and I kissed."

Jess waited a moment. "And…?" Rory shrugged. "That's it? That's your history? Kissing another guy when you broke up?" He sighed. "You really are an innocent. Oh, god," he added, sitting up. "Was that your first hickey?" Her blush was answer enough. "Ugh, Bag Boy was an idiot. The first girl I kissed was Sheila King at a party." Rory blinked at the sudden change in topic, but sat back to listen. "We were playing spin the bottle and I was hoping it would point to her friend Dana."

"How old were you?"

"Twelve. After that, I went out with a few girls and things got more intense, but never went quite all the way. Last year, this girl started coming on to me. Intensely." He sighed. "Kristin was the girl everyone wanted, and a lot got. After a while I stopped resisting. She was…active. A week later I saw her friends giving her money. She'd made a bet that she could bed the bad boy."

"Jess." Rory held out her hand, and he took it, pulling her up to lie next to him. She put her head on his shoulder, and their fingers intertwined. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bring up bad memories."

"Hey," Jess said, and turned until his nose was buried in her hair. "I know. I was telling you because you have the right to know. And I guess I wanted you to know that I'm not as 'experienced' as everyone seems to think I am."

Rory sighed and gathered her courage. "I asked because…well, because…I, um, want you to be my first." She mumbled the words and he almost didn't hear her. But he felt his whole body tense, and knew the words had registered.

His heart began beating double-time and he had to clamp down on his suddenly-rampaging hormones. "Rory," he said, his voice catching. "I can't tell you what that means to me."

"I mean," Rory said hurriedly. "Not immediately, or anything. We've just started going out. But…yeah, sometime."

"Why? I mean, you went out with Dean longer, and he's sure as hell better-liked in this place."

"I don't care," Rory said. "I had no trouble calling myself your girlfriend. You should have heard how I stuttered over that word with Dean." Jess smiled and burrowed further into her hair.

"Why do you do that?" Rory asked, feeling his breath flow over her neck.

"Do what?"

"Just kind of breathe through my hair."

He made exaggerated snuffling sounds. "I like how you smell. Your hair smells. I like your neck."

"Yes, I believe my 'birthmark' proved that." Rory smiled, though, and yelped when his teeth nipped at her nape.

"Come on," Jess said, then bit her again. "It's your turn to complement me."

"Is that the way it works?" Rory joked, and squealed when he drilled a finger into her side. She grabbed his hand and pulled it up so she could examine it. "I like your hands. Strong. Capable. Mischievous."

"I'm sure I have no idea what you're talking about," he said, and watched their hands.

"You put an adult movie in a Bambi case. You cut the head off a snowman." *All for me,* Rory suddenly realized. *Oh, god, has he liked me that long?* "You've fixed multiple toasters around town—"

"Yours and Luke's," Jess scoffed.

"Hush. You've used your hands as weapons, and used them for the greater good." She brought his hand in hers up to her mouth and kissed it.

"Rory…." Jess turned her in his arms until she faced him, and then kissed her. She sighed and kissed him back. He kept it slow, letting his feelings pour into the kiss. He was in love with her. If he'd had any doubts before, they were out the window.

He felt her hands creeping under the hem of his shirt and was surprised enough to pull away. Her warm fingers slipped up his diaphragm, and he drew in a sharp breath. "Rory," he began.

"I like how you look without a shirt," she murmured. "I got to see it, and now I get to feel it." She sighed and inched her hands higher. Jess groaned and sat back, fighting for control. 

*I am my mother's daughter, after all.* Rory thought back to when she'd learned about sex. Her mother had said something about it being a beautiful thing if you do it right and at the very least care about the person. *And with love,* Rory thought without being conscious about it. *It can only be better.* Then she froze, feeling her high color drain out of her cheeks. She sat back on her heels, and felt herself begin to shake.

*"No, no! Don't be like me,"* Lorelai's voice echoed in her head. *"Be cautious, yes, but not scared. Jess wouldn't hurt you, not on purpose. You've got to know that."* Rory felt the tremors ease, but didn't say anything when she saw Jess sit up. "Rory?" he asked, his voice slightly hoarse, his shirt askew. He looked very befuddled there, almost …cute, which was a word Rory never thought she would attribute to him. "Rory? What's wrong?"

"Nothing," she said, and smiled, realizing the knee-jerk response was true. "I trust you," she said, unwilling to say anything else, but reveling in that little bit. Because what was love without trust? It was as good a starting point as any.

"Thank you," Jess said, blinking in confusion. "I trust you, too. If you want to stop for the night, we could put in a movie."

"We can't do both?" Rory asked playfully, and moved back up to lie next to him. His relieved sigh was the only response before he kissed her again.


	9. There Ain't No Secrets In Town

****

A/N: One more chapter to go before the end of The Middle! And…hey! I'm archived! Run on over to Bookends ( http://www.bellalumina.net/bookends/index2.html ) and read the Jess/Rory fanfics posted there!

Standard disclaimers apply. Although they could just hand over the copyrights because I'm just an incredible person…yeah, right!

**********

****

There Ain't No Secrets In Town

Or:

****

Not That They Try Very Hard To Keep The Secrets

For the second time in the last six months, all conversation stopped when Lorelai and Rory entered the diner. Luke looked up and smiled, then began glancing around nervously. The pair drifted their way towards the counter, attempting to ignore the looks they were receiving and play it cool. All eyes focused on Lorelai as she greeted Luke.

"Hi," she said. He returned the salutation. "I, uh, guess they heard?" Lorelai muttered under her breath to him. It was audible throughout the diner, and immediately people began chattering again.

Luke was frowning deeply. "No one said anything to me. Everything was normal until you two walked in."

"Well, aren't we always the center of attention?" Rory asked daintily. "I thought that was our life goal."

Jess came down the stairs just then, and the silence descended again as the town now focused on Jess and Rory. Jess looked at the diner at large out of the corner of his eye, and visibly fought a sardonic grin. "You think this is funny?" Rory hissed at him.

"Well, kinda," he said. He grabbed a coffeepot on his way to them and poured Rory a cup before handing the pot to Luke. "Have at it," he said, gesturing expectantly at the two of them. Then he stepped back and folded his arms, settling in for a show.

"What's he talking about?" Luke asked.

"He's waiting for you to give me coffee." Lorelai held her cup out expectantly.

Chatter in the diner began again, as everyone in town had already witnessed this argument countless times. "I'm not giving you coffee," Luke said, sighing heavily and moving to put the pot down. 

"You put down that pot before you've poured me a mug and…I'll do…something really, really…bad…see? I can't function normally without my coffee! Please, Luke? Please?" Lorelai opened her eyes really wide and made an "I'm-as-innocent-as-a-puppy" look.

"No."

"Luke!"

"No."

Lorelai's voice was strident when she spoke again. "Is this what it's going to be like when we're married?" Lorelai clapped a hand over her still-open mouth when for the third time in the space of ten minutes utter silence swept over the diner audience. 

Rory stifled a giggle in her coffee, but her shoulders still shook with great amusement. Lorelai had of course told Rory everything last night after she'd returned home and said good-bye to Luke, who was trying to close the front door silently behind him. He'd jumped about a foot, which Rory just smiled at. Then he stammered something about fixing a loose stair…or drawer, or something. 

Jess' mouth fell open, but his lips were pulling up at the corners.

Miss Patty stood, and was the first to voice her opinion. "Oh, congratulations, dears," she said warmly while raking her eyes with finality up and down Luke. He squirmed a little, and sent a "help me!" look towards Lorelai.

"Not that we're getting married any time soon," Lorelai said quickly. "Really. It's just…one of those questions you ask about the future without really meaning anything you're saying. It's one of those questions that don't really need answers…Rory?"

"Rhetorical?" she supplied, her voice conveying her amusement admirably.

"Yes! Exactly! It was a rhetorical question! As in, one that doesn't need an answer! Thank you! Now…as you were." She made shooing motions with her hands, and turned back to her stool.

Miss Patty left, but called melodically over her shoulder, "Me thinks the lady doth protest too much."

Slowly, the rest of the crowd followed Miss Patty's lead in congratulating the couple and then paying and leaving. When everyone was gone, Lorelai put her head down on her counter and began banging.

"How long are you going to be doing that?" Luke asked resignedly.

She paused. "How long do you think it'll take for something else of gossip-interest to come along and spare us?"

"I could help with that," Jess spoke up, aiming a mischievous look in Rory's direction.

"No!" Luke, Lorelai and Rory—who was blushing—chorused.

"Don't have to tell me twice," Jess said, mock-pouting. "Hey," he said to Rory. "Don't you have a bus to catch?"

"Ah!" Rory gasped after a look at her watch. "Yes!" she grabbed her coffee, kissed her mother, and blew a kiss to Jess as she ran out the door. "Bye Luke!" she called over her shoulder just before the door closed.

"It's fun to watch her panic like that," Jess remarked almost to himself.

"Ah, yes, but be careful," Lorelai warned. "Don't push her too far. She's libel to snap and beat you to death with her backpack if you go even just a little over the line."

"It's still fun," Jess said.

"I can agree with that, actually. Remember, 'So, what's the problem?'"

"Ugh," Lorelai said, making a face.

"'Make it not tilt,' she must have said a thousand times to me," Luke explained to Jess. "There was this stage for a fashion show with some club she had to join from Chilton—"

"Luke."

"And she looked at the catwalk and the guy had put it together all wrong, and it was thirty degrees from the floor. And all she said to me for about fifteen minutes was 'Make it not tilt.' It was very funny."

"I bet," Jess said, and noticed Lorelai simmering.

"Okay," she said warningly. "Now you owe me coffee. Otherwise I'll tell you exactly what Ava told me in the dressing room. That woman really does have quite an imagination." Luke immediately poured Lorelai coffee, feeling the heat start to rise in his neck.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Jess said, smirking. "Who is this 'Ava'?"

"Lorelai," Luke said warningly.

"This woman in booster club."

"Not—"

"And she thought Luke was hot. Let me tell you, that woman almost made me blush with the things she said she wanted him to do with his—"

"Lorelai!" Luke growled, startling both Jess and Lorelai. 

"Payback," Lorelai said, smiling into her coffee.

**********

Rory climbed off the bus that morning and made her way to Luke's, as had become her habit. As she was walking, she stopped to say hi to Taylor. "Just the girl I wanted to see!" Taylor said. 

Rory stopped and looked at him quizzically. "Really? About what?"

"I heard about you and Jess…well, being an item, as you might say. Are you sure that's such a good idea?" Taylor looked solemn.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean Jess isn't the most dependable sort of boy. He's wild, he's got big hair, and he's…from New York. You don't know what city boys are like, Rory. They're wild, and they smoke, and they do all sorts of stuff that you don't even want to know about."

Rory frowned at him. "Well, thanks for your input," she said, managing not to snap at him. Barely, she restrained herself from telling him to mind his own business for once. She started walking again, and sighed when she saw Miss Patty coming, knowing that she would find an excuse to talk about something.

"Rory, dear," Miss Patty said. "I'm so happy about your mother and Luke. They've been dancing around each other for years now, and it's so good to see them finally get together. But I wanted to talk about you," she added, making Rory's fledgling hopes die a painful death. "Are you sure about that Jess boy? I know there's something darkly…intriguing about the bad boys, but—and believe me when I say this—it will all end in heartbreak and misery. Those types of boys never stay with one girl very long. They're the loner-types, and they like their mysterious air."

"Miss Patty," Rory sighed, grappling with her temper. "I know Jess. I trust Jess. You don't know him, or trust him, and I understand that. You're just looking out for my well-being, but…I won't say I know what I'm doing because I don't, but…don't worry about me."

"I can't help it, dear," Miss Patty said. "No one can. Everyone worries about you."

*I know,* Rory thought in frustration. *And it is seriously grating on my nerves about now.* She smiled tightly at Miss Patty and again began her trip towards the diner and coffee and Jess.

Babbette stopped her with a shouted, "Yoo-hoo! Rory honey!"

"Hi, Babbette," Rory said wearily.

"Oh, what's wrong, honey?"

"It's just been a long day. What's up?"

Babbette pulled her towards a bench, and they sat. "I wanted to tell you something, honey. I worry about you, and that boy. Are you sure about him?"

Rory resisted the urge to scream, and instead sighed. "As sure as I'm going to get," she said. "Really."

"I know, I know," Babbette said. "You're old enough to make your own decisions, and that just kills me 'cause I can remember when you were just a baby and your mother and you had just come to town. But, I wanted to warn you that boys like Jess, well…they know things. They can make you want things you wouldn't normally want on your own. They can make you crazy. It happens to every woman at one time or another. I just wanted you to have the benefit of my experience."

*Oh, Babbette, not you, too,* Rory thought in dismay. "Thank you, Babbette," she said with an edge to her voice none save her mother would recognize. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to be getting my homework started."

"Oh, of course, honey," Babbette said. "I won't keep you a moment longer."

Rory walked very quickly towards the diner, and was relieved to see that there were only a few patrons in the bar. Luke was behind the counter as usual, and looked up and smiled when she came in, until he saw the look on her face.

Without waiting for the words, he poured her a huge cup of coffee. "Bad day?" he asked sympathetically.

"It wasn't until fifteen minutes ago," Rory muttered bitterly into her coffee. She sat in silence for a few minutes while the coffee kicked in. "How'd you know?" she asked, making a vague gesture with her free hand to the coffee.

"You are your mother's daughter," Luke said. "You come in here with storm clouds over your head, I figure there's got to be a reason for it. Jess is upstairs. He's doing his homework, if you can believe that."

"I can believe it," Rory said. "I think I'll go up and talk to him. Thanks for the coffee, Luke."

"No problem, Rory," Luke said.

She went up the stairs to the apartment, and found Jess sitting on his bed, Megadeath on the stereo, his books spread out all around him. He looked very disgruntled.

"You want to know what they have us doing?" he demanded without looking up at her, but reaching over to turn down the stereo. He picked up a huge textbook on the way back, then looked up at her.

"What?"

"They're having us write at-least-two-sentence answers to questions in the margins of this textbook. There's at least five a chapter, and there's only three pages a chapter! It's such a waste of time."

Rory smiled. She dropped her bag by the door and went to take the textbook from his hands. She flipped it open to a random page. She read a few of the questions. "Well, I imagine some people might find this useful," she said, trying to be fair. "But it turns into busy work for people like you who retain everything they've ever read."

"I do not. I forget every hundredth word or so," Jess said, and Rory could hear him fighting a smile.

"My mistake," Rory said. "But, I'll make you a deal. For every class you get an 'A' in by the end of this semester, I'll read a Hemingway book."

"Really?" Jess asked, arching an eyebrow. "And what's in it for you?"

*People stop bothering me about you being a hoodlum and not good for me,* Rory thought, but didn't voice the thought. "It gives me the satisfaction of knowing that my boyfriend is living up to his potential. Plus, I would need you to help me understand the stupid man who everyone claims is brilliant, so that would lead to a lot of reading time for the both of us…" She trailed off, leaving the rest to be filled in.

"You present me with an intriguing proposal, woman," Jess said loftily. "Let me mull it over while I write out how Hoover was to blame in the eyes of Americans for the Great Depression."

"Okay," Rory said. She fetched her bag and took out her homework. "Ooh, where's your phone? I'm gonna call my mom at work and tell her to swing by here on her way home so we can watch movies tonight."

"Fine," Jess said, and pointed out the black handset. "Call. But go out into the kitchen."

Rory stuck her tongue out at him as she took the phone. "Mom?"

"I sometimes answer to that moniker, yes, but it's usually from my daughter."

"And it's still from your daughter," Rory said. "I'm at Luke's. Jess and I are doing homework. You should pick me up here after work and then we can go to the video store and…yeah, you know the drill."

"'Nudge-nudge, wink-wink, say no more' homework?"

"None of your dirty little mind games here, missy," Rory said. "It's literal homework. I've got it and so does Jess, and we're going to be doing it."

"I'll just bet," Lorelai said smugly.

"Eew," Rory said. "Gross. Love you."

"Love you, too. Bye."

"Your mother being her typically prudish self?"

"Go back to your homework, Jess," Rory said, feeling her face heating.

"All right. Just get your mind out of the gutter."

Rory hit him on the shoulder with the paperback book.

****

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A/N2: "The introduction of fanfic points into a series."…"Um, what is PKNight doing in this authors note?"…"Correct!"…wow I'm weird late at night. Okay, today's fanfic points will be rewarded to whoever can name the folk artist who sings the song, "There Ain't No Secrets In Town." I don't expect a whole lot of people to know this. Please review…I need reviews! They're what keeps me going! Stay tuned for the last exciting chapter to The Middle, coming to an FF.Net board near you! …yeah, again with that late-at-night thing…


	10. Co-Pilot

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A/N: This is it: the end of The Middle. The end of an era…. I think I might cry…or not. Yes, believe it or not, I am joking! Stay tuned for The End!

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Co-Pilot

A month later, Rory was hanging out with Lane, listening to some new CDs she'd bought.

"This band is so cool! Even their name is cool. Letters To Cleo. Isn't that just cool?" Lane told Rory, putting a bright orange CD into the player. "They've even been in a major motion picture! They're really good, but their lyrics are sometimes really weird. Just listen to this first song." Rory listened, and agreed that some of the lyrics sounded like some of the magnetic word poetry; just kind of random. But the mood of the song stayed the same.

She sat back on Lane's bed, and listened to both the music and her friend bragging that she could now drum along with the songs. Rory smiled, and fell into a haze of camaraderie and music, one of her favorite places to be.

She woke up when she heard the chorus beginning on a song, and grinned once she registered the tone of the lyrics.

"Lane, do you realize what this song is?"

"What?" Lane reached over and paused it. "What's wrong? You look weird."

Rory quickly explained about her dream—and Lane laughed as hard as Lorelai at the image of Dean in a stewardess outfit—then said, "Don't you get it? This song _is_ me and Jess! It's our song!"

"You two have a song?"

"Thanks to you we do!" Rory hugged her friend. "Oh, this is so great! Can I borrow this?"

Lane hesitated. "How about I burn you a copy?"

"Paranoid."

"Lorelai."

"Warranted," Rory acknowledged.

"But you have to hear the rest of it first. You and Jess have got a date tonight, right?"

"I don't think we ever plan our dates, but yes, I guess we probably do."

"Are you going to play it for him tonight?"

"Yeah."

"Cool."

**********

That night Jess and Rory met at the diner. Jess and Caesar were running it while Luke and Lorelai went and did something in Hartford. Jess had brought his grades up to A's in two of his classes so far. "Come on! You said if I got 'A's' then you'd read Hemingway books!"

"No, I said at the end of the semester."

"No, you said 'by' the end of the semester. 'By' signifies that if it happens between the two designated times, then the statement and/or promise is still valid. So, read them."

Rory opened her mouth to argue, and then couldn't think of anything. Instead she ordered more coffee. "You know, you should really cut down a little," Jess said. "It's a wonder to me how you even get to sleep at night."

"With dreams of you," Rory said, quietly enough that only Jess heard her. She smiled in satisfied revenge when Jess blushed brightly.

"Hmm," he said, trying to recover from his surprise. Rory took a drink of her coffee. "Is that so?"

"Sometimes," Rory admitted. It was her turn to blush a little.

"Ah," Jess said, leaning his elbows on the counter. "So you weren't just teasing."

"I guess not," Rory said.

Jess gave her a donut. "What's this for?"

"Sweets for the sweet," he said, making her laugh.

"Wow. I think that's the first pick-up line I've ever heard you use. Nice delivery, though."

"Happy to amuse."

They continued chatting until the diner closed, at which time Jess and Rory went up to the apartment like they always did. This time Rory had the newly-burned CD in her bag. "Hey, can I choose the music tonight?" she asked, pulling the CD out.

"Sure, no problem," he said. He fell down on the bed, waiting for her to come and snuggle beside him. "Lane go on a shopping rampage again?"

"Just a little," Rory said wanly. "This is one CD I really liked though."

She waited for the right track to come on, and stopped him in mid sentence when she heard the opening bars.

"I want you to listen to this song," Rory told him, turning so she could see his face as he listened.

His expression went from mild amusement to surprise to tenderness as he listened. "Wow," he said after it was done and Rory turned the music back down. "That's a good song."

"It's exactly how I feel about you, you know," Rory blurted.

"Really?"

"Yeah." Again, she explained about her dream. "Then I heard this song and I thought, 'Oh my god, that's us!' So, I thought it could be, you know, our song." She smiled hesitantly at him. "What do you think?"

"I think this," Jess said, and pulled her down for a gentle kiss. "I think you're an incredible person, Rory. I think that I'm lucky to have you in my life, and even luckier that I'm your boyfriend, and you're my girlfriend."

"The part I like best was the second verse, 'I don't pay attention because number 1, I'm good with you, and the way you look at me is number 2.'" Rory smiled at Jess. "How can I fault the logic? How can I pay attention to everyone else when we're so good together, and when you look at me like you do?"

"Rory," Jess began.

"I love you, Jess," Rory said before he could say anything. His eyes widened in astonishment.

"What?" he demanded.

"I love you."

"Why?"

"I believe I just said them." Rory felt nerves beginning to form in her stomach. "And because I can argue with you about everything, and…you're you. And I love you."

"I love you, too, Rory," Jess said. "But, gosh…I don't know. You're so…innocent. Not naïve, so don't even say that. You're not…experienced about anything."

"What on earth are you talking about?"

"When have you ever experienced unpleasantness?" Jess thought about the shootings he'd heard while in New York, the murders he'd heard about on the news the next day. The poverty he'd seen just walking to school. The hopelessness of dead-end jobs that barely pay the rent. He'd lived through all of this, and had only escaped it because his mother had reached the end of her rope and sent him here: Oblivion USA. He said all this to Rory, and she frowned at him.

"You think everything is idyllic here, don't you? I've told you about the early years here, but you don't seem to grasp what it means. My mother came here when she was sixteen, with a baby, broke, and with no job skills. We lived in a potting shed behind the Inn." She held up a hand when he was going to protest. "Yes, we were lucky. We had someplace to go. But there were a few times we had nothing to eat. Money got away from us pretty regularly, and we survived by eating the cheapest thing we could: junk food, and not a lot of it. There were times my mother made her own clothes to afford to get me new ones. More than often, I wore her old clothes, sewn by her own two hands to fit me. There were times that were unpleasant, Jess. You're not the only one in Star's Hollow that's ever faced disillusionment. I always had my mother, and she always made whatever we were going through seem like an adventure. And so I got through it. But I know now what that was like."

"I didn't mean…" Jess sighed and raked a hand through his hair. "Rory, I've seen a lot of things in my life. It hasn't been long, but I've seen a lot of bad stuff happen."

"No one goes through life unaffected by everything," Rory said. "Even the boy in the bubble knew that." She took his hand. "Do you think that because of what you've seen, I won't love you? That's ridiculous. That's like expecting you to not love me because my mother had me when she was sixteen. I'm not holding something that happened before you knew me against you."

"And despite all that, you still believe in the innate goodness in people."

"And I always will. But I also know that evil exists. I think the whole terrorist thing proves that. But that's part of what you like about me."

"Yeah, it is. Rory, I love you, too. You've got to believe that."

"Why wouldn't I?"

"I've lied before."

"As have I, and you'll lie again. As will I. And we'll witness more unpleasantness before the end of our time. But we'll be there for each other." She pulled him to her and kissed him. "We'll be co-pilots."

"Wanna help me fly?" Jess murmured.

"Always."

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A/N2: Well, that's it. The end of the Middle. It might have gotten a little sappy there at the end, but…I am, at heart, a romantic sap. I'll have the beginning of the End here for you soon. Warning that the rating might get higher for The End. 


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